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Hiotograph^c 

^Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WIST  MAIN  STREiT 

WiBSTIR.N.Y.  MSIO 

(716)  872.4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  mlcroreproductlons  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 


D 
D 


□ 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  peliiculAe 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  inic  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reiid  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
11  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais.  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tacheties  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materif 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppi  'mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


[~~]  Pages  damaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I    ~|  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~~l  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  ff-  jllet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmies  d  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


C 


V 


12X 


1IX 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  ha«  b««n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  th«  ganarotity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  filmi  fut  raproduit  grAca  A  la 
ginArosit*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  iniagas  appearing  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  At*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  filmA.  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
tha  last  nage  with  e  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  beck  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  e  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, end  ending  on  the  lest  pege  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exempieires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
pepier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plet  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  pege  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exempieires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  lest  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shell  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED ").  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "). 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  epparaltra  sur  la 
dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  ^^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  ie 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Meps,  pletes,  cherts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seu!  clichA,  il  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  geuche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  isn  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1  2  3 

4  5  6 


mmm 


09 


» 


S 
P 


03 
H 

a 


CO 
H 


NARRATIYE" 


«* 


OF  TBI 


^         « 


ADVENTURES  AND  SUFFERINGS 


^ 
^ 


9V 


'a. 


JOHN  R.  JEWITT ; 

ONLY  SURVIVOR  OF  THE  CREW  OF  THE  SHIP  ^^ 


BOSTON, 


DVRINO  ▲  CAPTIVITT  Or  MBARLY  THRm  TKARS  AMOMtt  TBtt 

SAVAGES  OF  NOOTKA  SOUND: 


:t^c»sv. 


V:  "         .' 


WITH   AN    ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

MANNERS,   MODE  OF  LIVING,    AND   RELIGIOUS 
OPINIONS  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


1 


.       EMBELLISHED    WITH   ENGRAVINGS.       ^    /    -v 


-4/V*^'^ 


v..        ♦ 


U     ^eC^^*^'    ITHACA,  N.Y.: 

MACK,  ANDRUS,  &  CO. 

*  18  49.  ' 


v*c« 


?v<} 


w 


.*» 


A  LIST  Ol"   WORDS  IN  THE  NOOTKIAN 
LANGUAGE,  THE  MOST  IN  USE. 


Clieck-up, 

Klootz-mah, 

IVoowexa, 

Hooma-hexa, 

TanaRsis, 

Katlahtik, 

Kloot-cliem-up, 

Tanaspis-check- 

'J'annssis-kloolB- 

Tau-liat-se-tee, 

Kassce, 

Hap-se-up, 

Naetsa, 

Parpee, 

Chee-chee, 

Clioop, 

Kouk-a-nlk-sa, 

Klish-klin, 

Oophehh, 

Tar-toosc, 

8ie-yah, 

Toop-elth, 

Cha-hak, 

Meetla, 

Queece, 

Noot-chee, 

Kiat-tur-miss, 

Een-nuk-see, 

Mook-see, 

Mtik-ka-tee, 

Wik. 

He-ho, 

Kak-koelth, 

Mah-hack, 

Kiack-e-mics, 

Quart-lak,' 

Coo-coo-ho-sa, 

Moo- watch, 

So-har, 

Too3ch-qiia, 

Pow-ee, 

Kloos-a-mit, 

Chap-atz, 

Oo-wha-pa, 

Cliee-me-na, 

Ckee-meii- 

Sick-a-minny, 


Man. 

Woman. 

Father. 

Mother. 

^  Child. 

*%       Brother. 

Sister. 

•up.  Son. 

-mah,    Daughter. 

Head. 

Eves. 

I^air. 

Nose. 

Ears. 

Teeth. 

"Tongue. 

Handfi. 

Feet. 

Sun  or  Moon. 

Stars. 

/     Sky. 

Sea. 

Fresh  water. 

Rain. 

Snow. 

Mountain  or  hill. 

Earth. 

Fire  or  fuel. 

Rock. 

House. 

No. 

Yes. 

Slave. 

Whale. 

Oil. 

Sea-otter. 

Seal. 

Bear. 

^  .  Salmon. 

Cod. 

Halibut. 

Herring. 

Canoe. 

Paddle. 

A  fish-hook. 

Fish-hooks. 

Iron. 

47387 


Toop-helth,  Cloth. 

Cham-mass,  Fruit. 

Cham-maBs-*  <  Sweet  or  pleasant 

ish,  \    to  the  taste. 

Moot-suD,  Powder. 

Chee-pokes,  *         Copper. 

Hah-welks,  Hungrr. 

Noe-sim-mer-hise,  Enougn. 

Chlt-ta-yek,       Kuife  or  dagger. 
Klick'-cr-yek,  Rings. 

Smoke. 

Goose  or  duck. 

To  blow. 

Een-a.qui-8i.it-tle,{'r«fl^^'"***«» 

Ar-teese,  To  bathe. 

Ma-mook-su-mali,  To  go  to  fish 
Ar-smootish-  >  .  ,„.„•_  • 

check-up,     J  A  warrior. 

"  lat-  C 


Quish-ar, 

Mar-met-ta, 

Pook-sliit-tle, 


Cha-alt-see-kl 


I 


Go  oflf,  or  90 


away. 
To  aelt. 
Give  me 
something. 
How  many. 
Much. 


tur-wah, 
Ma-kook, 

Kah-ah-pah-chilt,  < 

Oo-nah, 

I-yah-ish, 

Kom-me-tak,  I  understand. 

T  ,.««  «.•  \^„ir      5  I  <lo  no'  under- 
I-yee-ma-hak,     J     ^^^^j 

Em-me-chap,  To  play. 

Kle-whar,  To  laugh. 

Mac-kam-  >  n  ^  *    u 

mah-sish, }  ^^  y«>"  ^»°»  *«  *>"y- 

Kah-ah-coh, 

Sah-wauk, 

Att-la, 

Kat-sa, 

Mooh. 

Soo-chah, 

Noo-poo, 

At-tle-poo, 

At-lah-quelth, 

Saw-wauk-queltb» 
Hy-o, 

Sak-aitz,      9* 
Soo-jcwk, 
Hy-e-oak, 


Bring  it. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four. 

Five. 

Six 

Seven. 

Ei^ht. 

Nme. 

Ten. 

Twenty. 

One  hundred. 

One  thousand. 


f^amei  of  the  Crew  of  the  Ship  Boston^  belonging  to 
Boston' in  Massachusetts,  oxoned  by  Messrs.  F,  Sf  T. 
Amory,  Merchants  of  that  place — All  of  xehom  ex- 
cepting two,  xoere  on  the  22rf  of  March,  1803,  barbar- 
dusty  murdered  by  the  Savages  at  Nootka. 


John  Salter, 
B.  Delouissa, 
William  Iiigraliatn, 
Edward  Thompson, 
Adam  Siddle, 
Philip  Brown, 
John  Dorthy, 
Abraham  Watcri, 
Francis  Dufheld, 


of  Boston, 

Do. 
of  New-York, 
of  BIyth,  (England,) 
of  Hull,        Do. 
of  Cambridge,  (Mass.) 
of  Scituate,         Do. 
of  Philadelphia, 
of  Penton,  (England,) 


John  Wilson,  (blackman)  of  Virginia, 


William  Caldwell, 
Joseph  Miner, 
William  Robinson, 
Thomas  Wilson, 
Andrew  Kelly, 
Robert  Burton, 
James  M*CIay, 
Thomas  Platten, 
Thomas  Newton, 
Char  lea  Bates, 
^ohn  Hall, 
Samuel  Wood, 
Peter  Abtrom, 
Francis  Marten, 


of  Boston, 
of  Newburyport, 
of  Leigh,  (Scotland,) 
of  Air,  Do. 

Do.  Do. 

of  the  Isle  of  Man, 
of  Dublin, 
of  Blakeney,  Norfolk,  Eng.  Do. 
of  Hull,  Do.   Do. 

of  St.  James  Deeping,  Do.   Do* 
of  New-Castle,  Do.   Do. 

of  Glasgow,  (Scotland,)        Do. 
Norwegian,  Do. 


jDaptain. 
Chief-Mate. 
Second-Mate. 
Boatswain. 
Carpenter. 
Joiner. 
Blacksmith. 
Steward. 
Tailor. 
Cook. 
Seaman. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 


Portuguese,  Do. 

Jupiter  Senegal,  (blackman)  Do. 

John  Thompson,  Fhiladttlphia,  Sail-Maker, 

who  scaped — since  dead. 
John  R.  Jewitt,  of  Boston,  in  England,      Armourer, 

the  writer  of  the  Journal  from  whence  this  Narrstive  is  taken,  and 
who  at  {iresent,  July,  1815,  resides  in  Middletown,  in  tlie  State  of 
Connecticut. 


n 


y 


• 


NARRATIVE  OF  JOHN  R.  JEWITT. 


I  WAS  born  in  Boston,  a  considerable  borough 
town  in  Lincolnshire,  in  Great-Britain,  on  the  21st 
of  May,  1783.  My  father,  Edward  Jewitt,  was  , 
by  trade  a  blacksmith,  and  esteemed  among  the 
first  in  his  line  of  business  in  that  place.  At  the 
age  of  three  years  I  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  my 
mother,  a  most  excellent  woman,  who  died  "in 
child-bed,  leaving  an  infant  daughter,  who,  with 
myself,  and  an  elder  brother  by  a  former  marriage 
of  my  father,  constituted  the  whole  of  our  family. 
My  father  who  considered  a  good  education  as  the 
greatest  blessing  he  could  bestow  on  his  children, 
was  very  particular  in  paying  every  attention  to  us 
in  that  respect,  always  exhorting  us  to  behave  well, 
and  endeavouring  to  impress  on  our  minds  thQ 
principles  of  virtue  and  morality,  and  no  expense 
in  his  power  was  spared  to  have  us  instructed  in 
whatever  might  render  us  useful  and  respectable 
in  society.  My  brother,  who  was  four  years  old- 
er than  myself,  and  of  a  more  hardy  constitution, 
he  destined  for  his  own  trade,  but  to  me  he  had 
resolved  to  give  an  education  superior  to  that 
which  is  to  be  obtained  in  a  common  school,  it  be- 
ing his  intention  that  I  should  adopt  one  oP  the 
learned  professions.  Accordingly  at  the  age  of 
twelve  he  took  me  from  the  school  in  which  I  had 
been  taught  the  fust  rudiments  of  learning,   and 


8 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I 


I^aced  me  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Moses,  a  cele- 
brated teacher  of  an  academy  at  Donnington, 
about  twenty  miles  from  Boston,  in  order  to  be 
instructed  in  the  Latin  language,  and  in  some  of 
the  higher  branches  of  the  Mathematics.  I  there 
made  considerable  proficiency  in  writing,  reading, 
and  aridmietic,  and  obtained  a  pretty  good  knowl- 
edge  of  navigation  and  of  surveying;  but  my  pro- 
V  gress  in  Latin  was  slow,  not  only  owing  to  the  lit- 
tle inclination  I  felt  for  learning  that  language,  but 
to  a  natural  impediment  in  my  speech,  which  ren- 
dered it  extremely  difficult  for  me  to  pronounce 
it,  so  that  in  a  short  time,  with  my  father's  con- 
sent, I  wholly  relinquished  the  study. 

The  period  of  m^^  stay  at  this  place  was  the 
most  happy  of  my  life.  My  preceptor,  Mr.  Moses, 
was  not  only  a  learned,  but  a  virtuous,  benevolent, 
and  amiable  man,  universally  beloved  by  his  pu- 
pils, who  took  dehght  in  his  instruction,  and  to 
\  ''  a  he  allowed  every  proper  amusement,  that 
»  ..    isted  with  attention  to  their  studies. 

One  of  the  principal  pleasures  I  enjoyed  was 
in  attending  the  fair,  which  is  regularly  held  twice 
a  year  at  Donnington,  in  the  spring  and  in  the  fall; 
the  second  day  being  wholly  devoted  to  selling 
horses,  a  prodigious  number  of  which  are  brought 
thither  for  that  purpose.  As  the  scholars  on  these 
occasions  were  always  indulged  with  a  holiday,  I 
cannot  express  with  what  eargerness  of  youthful 
expectation  I  used  to  anticipate  these  fairs,  nor 
what  delight  I  felt  at  the  various  shows,  exhibitions 
of  wild  beasts,  and  other  entertainments  that  they 
presented.  I  was  frequently  visited  by  my  father, 
who  always  discovered  much  joy  on  seeing  me, 
praised  me  for  my  acquirements,  and  usually  left 
me  a  small  sum  for  my  pocket  expenses. 


jewitt's  narrative.  0 

Among  the  scholars  at  this  academy,  there  was 
one  named   Charles  Rice,  with  whom  I  formed  a 
particular  intimacy,  which  continued   during    the 
whole  of  my  stay.      He  was  my  class  and   room 
mate,  and  as  the  town  he  came  from,  Ashhy,  was 
move   than   sixty   miles   off,    instead    of  returning 
homo,   he  used  frequently  during  the  vacation,  to 
go  with  me  to  Boston,  where  he  always  met  with 
a  cordial  welcome  from  my  father,  who  received 
me  on  these  occasions  with  the  greatest  affection, 
apparently  taking  much  pride  in  me.     My  friend 
in  return  used  to  take  me  with  him  to  an  uncle  of 
ihis  in  Donnington,  a  very  wealthy  man,  who,  hav- 
ing no  children  of  his  own,  was  very  fond  of  his 
[nephew,  and  on  his  account   I  was  always  a  wel- 
Icome  visitor  at  the  house.     I  had  a  good  voice, 
and  an  ear  for  music,  to  which  I  was  always  pas- 
sionately attached,  though  my  father  endeavoured 
to  discourage  this   propensity,  considering  it,  (as 
'is  too  frequently  the  case)  but  an  introduction  to 
la  life  of  idleness  and  dissipation,  and  having  been 
i remarked  for  my  singing   at  church,   which  was 
regularly  attended   on  Sundays  and  Festival   days 
tby  the  scholars,  Mr.  Morthrop,  my  friend  Rice's 
uncle,  used  frequently  to  request  me   to  sing;  he 
[was   always  pleased   with  my  exhibitions  of  tlus 
[kind,  and  it  was  no  doubt   one  of  the  means   that 
[secured  me  so  gracious  a  reception  at  his  house, 
number  of  other  gentlemen  in  the  place  would 
jometimes  send  for  me  to  sing  at  their  houses, 
id  as  I  was  not  a  little  vain  of  my  vocal  powers, 
was   much  gratified  on  receiving  these  invita- 
tions, and  accepted  them  with  the  greatest  pleasure. 
Thus  passed"  away  the  two  happiest  years  of  my 
ife,  when  my  father,  thinking  that  I  had  received 
sufficient  education  for  the  profession  he  intend- 


10 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


f 


r 

I 


I 


ed  me  for,  took  me  from  school  at  Donnington  in 
order  to  apprentice  me  to  Doctor  Mason,  a  sur- 
geon of  on>incnce  at  Rcashy,  in  the  neighhour- 
hood  of  the  celebrated  Sir  Joseph  Banks.  With 
regret  did  I  part  from  my  school  acquaintance, 
particularly  my  friend  Rice,  and  returned  home 
with  my  father,  on  a  short  visit  to  my  fiunily,  pre- 
paratory to  my  intended  apprenticeship.  The 
disinclination  I  ever  had  felt  for  the  profession  my 
father  wished  me  to  pursue,  was  still  further  in- 
creased on  my  return.  When  a  child  I  was  al- 
ways fond  of  being  in  the  shop,  among  the  work- 
men, endeavouring  to  imitate  what  I  saw  them  do; 
tliis  disposition  so  far  increased  after  my  leaving 
the  academy,  that  I  could  not  bear  to  hear  the 
least  meudLii  made  of  my  being  apprenticed  to  a 
surgeon,  and  I  used  so  many  entreaties  with  my 
father  to  persuade  him  to  give  up  this  plan  and 
learn  me  his  own  trade,  that  he  at  last  consented. 
More  fortunate  would  it  probably  have  been  for 
me,  had  I  gratified  the  wishes  of  this  affectionate 
parent,  in  adopting  the  profession  he  had  chosen 
for  me,  than  thus  induced  him  to  sacrifice  them 
to  mine.  However  it  might  have  been,  I  was  at 
length  introduced  into  the  shop,  and  my  natural 
turn  of  mind  corresponding  with  the  employment, 
I  became  in  a  short  time  uncommonly  expert  at 
the  work  to  which  I  was  set.  I  now  felt  myself 
well  contented,  pleased  with  my  occupation,  and 
treated  with  much  affection  by  my  father  and  kind- 
ness by  my  step-mother,  my  father  having  once 
more  entered  the  state  of  matrimony,  with  a  wid- 
ow much  younger  than  himself,  who  had  been 
brought  up  in  a  superior  manner,  and  was  an  ami- 
able and  sensible  woman. 

About  a  year  after  I  had  commenced  this  ap- 


JKWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


11 


gton  in 
,  a  sur- 
^hbour- 
With 
ntance, 
1  home 
iy,  pre- 
The 
;ion  my 
her  in- 
was  al- 
3  vvork- 
lem  do; 
leaving 
lear  the 
led  to  a 
nth  my 
)lan  and 
isented. 
een  for 
tionate 
chosen 
3  them 
was  at 
natural 
yment, 
pert  at 
myself 
n,  and 
1  kind- 
once 
a  wid- 
been 
m  ami- 


jprcnticcship,  my  father  finding  that  he  could  carry 
on  his  business  to  more  advantage  in  Hull,  remov- 
ed  thither  with  his  family.      An  event  of  no  little 
importance  to  me,  as   it  in  a  great  measure  influ- 
leiic(Ml   my  future  destiny.      Hull  being  one  of  the 
")cst  ports  in  England,  and  a  place  of  great  trade, 
ly  fjithcr  had   tlierc  full  employment  for  his  nu- 
icroiis    workmen,    particularly    in    vessel    work, 
'his  naturally  leading  me  to  an  acquaintance  with 
he  sailors  on  board  some  of  the  ships,  the  many 
cmarkable  stories  they  told  me  of  their  voyages 
nd  adventures,  and  of  the  manners  and  customs 
t)f  the   nations   they  had   seen,    excited   a    strong 
'Itvhh  in  me  to  visit   foreign  countiies,  which   was 
'increased   by   my   reading  the     oyages   of  Capt. 
Cook,  and  some  odier  celebrated  navi,i!;ators. 
?"    Tiius  passed  the  four  years  that  I  lived  at  Hull, 
Jriiere  my   father   was  esteemed  by  all  v-ho  knew 
Jim,  as  a  worthy,  industrious,  and  thriving  man. 
t  this  period  a  circumstance  occurred  which  af- 
rded  me  tlie  opportunity  I  had  for  some  time 
ished,  of  gratifying  my  inclination  of  going  abroad. 
Among  our  principal  custom.ers  at  Hull,  were 
c  American?  who  frequented  that  port,  and  from 
hose  conversation,  my  father  as  well  as  myself 
rmed  the  most  favourable  opinion  of  that  conn- 
fry,  as  affording  an  excellent  field  for  the  exertions 
|f  industry,  and  a  flattering  prospect  for  the  estab- 
fehment  of  a  young  man  in  life.     In  the  summer 
of  the  year  1802,  during  the  peace  between  Eng- 
l|nd   and  France,   the  ship  Boston,  belonging  to 
Boston,  in    Massachusetts,    and    commanded   by 
apt.  John   Salter,   arrived  at  Hull,  whidier  she 
e  to  take  on  board  a  cargo  of  such  goods  as 
re  wanted  for  the  trade,  with  the  Indians  on  the 
•th-West  coast  of  America,  from  whence,  after 


us 


ap- 


12 


jewitt's  narrative. 


[  ' 


r 

I- 

if 


I 


■ 

« 


\ 


having  taken  in  a  lading  of  furs  and  skins,  she  was 
to  proceed  to  China,  and  from  thence  home  to 
America.  The  ship,  having  occasion  for  many- 
repairs  and  alterations,  necessary  for  so  long  a 
voyage,  the  captain  applied  to  my  father  to  do  the 
smith  work,  which  was  very  considerable.  That 
gentleman,  who  was  of  a  social  turn,  used  often 
to  call  at  my  father's  house,  where  he  passed  ma- 
ny of  his  evenings,  with  his  chief  and  second 
mates,  Mr.  B.  Delouisa,  and  Mr.  William  Ingra- 
ham,  the  latter  a  fine  young  man  of  about  twenty, 
of  a  most  amiable  temper,  and  of  such  affable 
manners,  as  gained  him  the  love  and  attachment 
of  our  whole  crew.  These  gentlemen  used  occa- 
sionally to  take  me  with  them  to  the  theatre,  an 
amusement  which  I  was  very  fond  of,  and  which 
my  father  rather  encouraged  than  objected  to,  as 
he  thought  it  a  good  means  of  preventing  young 
men  who  are  naturally  inclined  to  seek  for  some- 
thing to  amuse  them,  from  frequenting  taverns,, 
ale  houses,  and  places  of  bad  resort,  equally  de- 
structive of  the  health  and  morals,  while  the  stage 
frequently  furnishes  excellent  lessons  of  morality 
and  good  conduct. 

In  the  evenings  that  he  passed  at  my  father's, 
Captain  Salter,  who  had  for  a  great  number  of 
years  been  at  sea,  and  seen  almost  all  parts  of  the 
world,  used  sometimes  to  speak  of  his  voyages, 
and  observing  me  listen  with  much  attention  to  his 
relations,  he  one  day  when  I  had  brought  him 
some  work,  said  to  me  in  rather  a  jocose  manner, 
John,  how  should  you  li™^  go  with  me?  I  an- 
swered that  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure,  that 
I  had  for  a  long  time  wished  to  visit  foreign  coun- 
tries, particularly  America,  which  Iliad  been  told 
so  many  fine  stories  of,  and  that  if  nn/- fether  would 


1    » 


jewitt's  narrative. 


13 


give  his  consent  and  he  was  willing  to  take  me 
with  him,  I  would  go.  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
do  it,  said  he,  if  your  father  can  be  prevailed  on 
to  let  you  go,  and  as  I  want  an  expert  smith  for 
an  armourer,  the  one  I  have  shipped  for  that  pur- 
uose  not  being  sufficiently  master  of  his  trade,  I 
have  no  doubt  that  you  will  answer  my  turn  well, 
IS  I  perceive  you  are  both  active  and  ingenious; 
ind  on  my  return  to  America,  I  shall  probably  be 
tble  to  do  something  much  better  for  you  in  Bos- 
lon.  I  will  take  the  first  opportunity  of  speaking 
«.o  your  fatlier  about  it,  and  try  to  persuade  him  tc 
consent.  He  accordingly  die  next  evening  that 
he  called  it  our  house  introduced  the  subject:  my 
father  at  first  would  not  listen  to  the  proposal. 
That  best  of  parents,  though  anxious  for  my  ad- 
vantageous establishment  in  life,  could  not  bear  to 
think  of  parting  with  me,  but  on  Capt.  Salter's 
telling  him  of  what  benefit  it  would  be  to  me  to 
go  the  voyage  with  him,  and  that  it  was  a  pity  to 
keep  a  promising  and  ingenious  young  fellow,  like 
myself,  confined  to  a  small  shop  in  England,  when 
if  I  had  tolerable  success,  I  might  do  so  much 
better  in  America,  where  wages  were  much  higher 
and  living  cheaper,  he  at  length  gave  up  his  ob- 
jections and  consented  tha*  ^  should  ship  on  board 
the  Boston  as  an  armourer,  at  the  rate  of  thirty 
dollars  per  month;  with  an  agreement  that  the 
amount  due  me,  together  with  a  certain  sum  of 
money  which  my  father  gave  Capt.  Salter  for  that 
purpose,  should  be  laid  out  by  him  on  the  North- 
West  Coast  in  the  purchase  of  furs  on  my  account, 
to  be  disposed  of  in  China  for  such  goods  as  would 
yield  a  profit  on  the  return  of  the  ship;  my  father  i 
being  solicitous  to  give  me  every  advantage  in  his  \ 
power,  of  well  establishing  myself  in  my  trade  in    ^ 


i 


'^ 


■> 


r.^ 


(I 


ill 


i'    I 


■;  i 


14 


jevvitt's  NARHATIVF.. 


Boston  or  some  other  maritime  town  of  America. 
Such  were  the  flattering  expectations  which  this 
good  man  indulged  respecting  me.  Ala*;!  the  fatal 
disaster  that  hefel  us,  not  only  hlastcd  all  these 
hopes,  hut  involved  me  in  extreme  distress  and 
wretchedness  for  a  long  period  after. 

The  ship  having  undergone  a  thorough  repair  and 
heen  well  coppered,  proceeded  to  t;ike  on  hoard 
her  cargo,  which  consisted  of  English  cloths, 
Dutch  blankets,  looking  glasses,  heads,  knives, 
razors,  &c.  which  were  received  from  Holland, 
some  sugar  and  molasses,  about  twenty  hogsheads 
of  rum,  including  stores  for  the  ship,  a  great 
quantity  of  ammunition,  cutlasses,  pistols,  and  three 
thousand  muskets  and  fowling  pieces.  The  ship 
being  loaded  and  ready  for  sea,  as  I  was  prepar- 
mg  for  my  departure,  my  father  came  to  me,  and 
taking  me  aside,  said  to  me  with  much  emotion, 
John,  I  am  now  going  to  part  with  you,  and  heav- 
en only  knows  if  we  shall  ever  again  meet.  But 
in  whatever  part  of  the  world  you  are,  always 
bear  it  in  mmd,  that  on  your  own  conduct  will 
depend  your  success  in  life.  Be  honest,  indus- 
trious, frugal,  and  temperate,  and  you  will  not 
fail,  in  whatsoever  country  it  may  be  your  lot  to 
be  placed,  to  gain  yourself  friends.  Let  the 
Bible  be  your  guide,  and  your  reliance  in  any 
fortune  that  may  befall  you,  that  Almighty  Being, 
who  knows  how  to  bring  forth  good  from  evil, 
and  who  never  deserts  those  who  put  their  trust  in 
him.  He  repeated  his  exhortations  to  me  to  lead 
an  honest  and  a  christian  life,  and  to  recollect  that 
I  had  a  father,  a  mother,  a  brother,  and  sister, 
who  could  not  but  feel  a  strong  interest  in  my 
welfare,  enjoining  me  to  write  him  by  the  first 
opportunity  that   should   offer   to  Enj^land,  from 


JEWITT  »  JNARHATIVE. 


M 


whatever  part  of  the  world  I  iiiiji;ht  be  in,  moro 
particiihirly  on  my  arrival  in  Jiostoii.  This  I 
promised  to  do,  but  long  unhappily  was  it  hciforo 
1  was  ahl(3  to  fulfill  tills  promise.  I  then  tocjk  an 
anbctioiiate  leave  of  my  worthy  parent,  whose 
feeling;s  uouhl  hardly  permit  him  to  speak,  and 
biddinjj;  an  alfectionate  farewell  to  my  brollu;r,  sis- 
ter, and  siep-mother,  who  expressed  the  greatest 
sclicilude  for  my  future  fortune,  went  on  boai'd 
the  ship,  which  proceeded  to  the  Downs  to  be 
ready  for  the  first  favourable  wind.  I  found  my- 
self well  acHonnnodated  on  board  as  regarded  my 
work,  an  iron  forge  having  been  erected  on  deck; 
this  my  father  had  made  for  the  ship  on  a  new 
plan,  for  which  he  afterwards  obtained  a  patent; 
while  a  corner  of  the  steerage  was  appropriated 
to  my  vice  bench,  so  that  in  bad  weatlie.-  I  could 
work  below. 

On  the  third  day  of  September,  1802,  we 
sailed  from  the  Downs  with  a  fair  wind,  in  com- 
pany with  twenty-four  sail  of  American  vessels, 
most  of  which  were  bound  home. 

I  was  sea-sick  for  a  few  of  the  first  days,  but  it 
was  of  short  continuance,  and  on  my  recovery  I 
found  myself  in  uncommonly  fine  health  and  spir- 
its, and  went  to  work  with  alacrity  at  my  forge, 
in  putting  in  order  some  of  the  muskets,  and  mak- 
ing daggers,  knives,  and  small  hatchets  for  the 
Indian  trade,  while  in  wet  and  stormy  weatlier  I 
was  occupied  below  in  filing  and  polishing  them. 
This  was  my  employment,  having  but  little  to  do 
with  sailing  the  vessel,  though  I  used  occasionally 
to  lend  a  hand  in  assisting  thg  seamen,  in  taking  in 
and  making  sail.  As  I  had  never  before  been  out 
of  siglit  of  land,  I  cannot  describe  my  sensations, 


16 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


after  I  had  recovered  from  the  distressing  effects 
of  sea-sickness,  on  viewing  the  mighty  ocean  by 
which  I  was  surrounded,  bounded  only  by  the  sky; 
while  its  waves  rising  in  mountains,  seemed  every 
moment  to  threaten  our  ruin.  Manifest  as  is  the 
hand  of  Providence  in  preserving  its  creatures 
from  destruction,  in  no  instance  is  it  more  so  than 
on  the  great  deep;  for  whether  we  consider  in  its 
tumultuary  motions  the  watery  deluge  that  each 
moment  menaces  to  overwhelm  us,  the  immense 
violence  of  its  shocks,  the  httle  diat  interposes 
between  us  and  death,  a  single  plank  forming  our 
only  security,  which,  should  it  unfortunately  be 
loosened  would  plunge  us  at  once  into  the  abyss, 
our  gratitude  ought  strongly  to  be  excited  towards 
that  superintending  Deity  who  in  so  wonderful  a 
manner  sustains  our  lives  amid  the  waves. 

We  had  a  pleasant  and  favourable  passage  of 
♦wenty-nine  days  to  the  Island  of  St.  Catharine 
on  the  coast  of  Brazils,  where  the  Captain  had  de- 
termined to  stop  for  a  few  days  to  wood  and  wa- 
ter. This  place  belongs  to  the  Portuguese.  On 
entering  the  harbour  we  were  saluted  by  the  fort, 
which  we  returned.  The  next  day  the  Governor 
of  the  Island  came  on  board  of  us  with  his  suite; 
Captain  Salter  received  him  with  much  respect 
and  invited  him  to  dine  with  him,  which,  he  ac- 
cepted. The  ship  remained  at  St.  Catharine's 
four  days,  during  which  time,  we  were  busily  em- 
ployed in  taking  in  wood,  water,  and  fresh  provis- 
ions. Captain  Salter  thinking  it  best  to  furnish 
himself  here  with  a  full  supply  for  his  voyage  to 
the  North- West  coast,  so  as  not  to  be  obliged  to 
stop  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  St.  Catharine  is  a 
very  commodious  place  for  vessels  to  stop  at  that 


JEWITT  »  NARRATIVE. 


IT 


p  - 


ai'e  boLuid  round  Cape  Horn,  as  it  abounds  with 
springs  of  fme  water,  with  excellent  oranges, 
plantuiiia,  uiid  bananas. 

Havijig  conjpletod  our  stores  we  put  to  sea,  and 
on  the  twciity-fiidi  of  December  at  lengdi  passed 
Cane  Horn,  which  we  had  made  no  loss  than 
tliirty-.^ix  da\s  bolbre,  but  were  repeatedly  forced 
back  by  couiraiy  winds,  experiencing  very  rough 
and  teuipesiuous  weatber  m  doubling  it. 

Immudiuiely  after  passing  Cape  Horn,  all  our  dan- 
gers and  diiliculties  seemed  to  be  at  an  end;  the 
weatlic3r  be(  anie  fine  and  so  httle  labour  was  ne- 
cessary on  board  the  ship  that  the  men  soon  re- 
covered from  Uieir  fatigue  and  were  in  excellent 
spirits.  A  few  days  after  we  fell  in  with  an  Eng- 
hsh  Soutli  Sea  Whaling  Ship,  homewaid  bound, 
vvhicb  was  ibe  only  vessel  we  spoke  with  on  our 
voyage.  ^Vc  now  took  tlie  trade  wind  or  mon- 
soon, during  which  we  enjoyed  the  finest  weather 
possible,  so  diat  for  the  space  of  a  fortnight  we 
were  not  obliged  ,to  reeve  a  topsail  or  to  make  a 
tack,  and  so  light  was  the  duty  and  easy  the  life 
of  the  sailors  during  this  time,  that  they  appeared 
tlie  happiest  of  any  people  in  the  world.       /jvUi^-  n-x 

Captain  Salter,  who  had  been  for  many  years 
in  the  East-India  trade,  was  a  iBost  excellent  sea- 
man, fnd  preserved  the  strictest  order  and  disci- 
pline on  board  his  ship,  though  he  was  a  man  of,, 
mild  temper  and  conciliating  manners,  and  dispos- 
ed to  allow  every  indulgence  to  his  men,  not  in- 
consistent with  their  duty.  We  had  on  board  a 
fine  band  of  music,  with  which  on  Saturday  nights, 
when  the  weather  was  pleasant,  we  w ere  accus- 
tomed to  be  regaled,  the  Captain  ordering  them  to 
play  for  several  hours  for  the  amusement  of  the 

crew.     This  to  me  was  most  dehghtful,  especially 

2# 


I 


18 


jewitt's  narrative. 


[  I 


i 


I 
'.f 


(luring  the  serene  evenings  we  experienced  in  tra- 
versing the  Southern  Ocean.  As  for  myself, 
during  the  day  I  was  constantly  occupied  at  my 
forge,  in  re-fitting  or  repairing  some  of  the  iron 
work  of  the  vessel,  but  principally  in  making  tom- 
ahawks, daggers,  &c.  for  the  North  West  coast. 
During  the  first  part  of  our  voyage  we  saw 
scarc(}ly  any  fish,  excepting  some  whales,  a  few 
sharks,  and  flying  fish;  but  after  weathering  Cape 
Horn  we  met  with  numerous  shoals  of  sea  por- 
poises, several  of  whom  we  caught,  and  as  we 
had  been  for  some  time  without  fresh  provisions, 
I  found  it  not  only  a  palatable  but  really  a  very 
excellent  food.  To  one  who  has  never  before 
seen  them,  a  shoal  of  these  fish  presents  a  very 
striking  and  singular  appearance ;  beheld  at  a  distance 
coming  towards  a  vessel  they  look  not  unlike  a 
great  number  of  small  black  waves  rolling  over 
one  another  in  a  confused  manner  and  approaching 
with  great  swiftness.  As  soon  as  a  shoal  is  seen 
all  is  bustle  and  activity  on  board  the  ship,  the 
grains  and  the  harpoons  are  immediately  got  ready, 
and  those  who  are  best  skilled  in  throwing  them 
take  their  stand  at  the  bow  and  along  the  gunwale 
anxiously  awaiting  the  welcome  troop  as  they  come 
gamboling  and  blowing  around  the  vessel,  in  search 
of  food.  When  pierced  with  the  harpoon  and 
drawn  on  board,  unless  the  fish  is  instantly  killed 
by  the  stroke,  which  rarely  happens,  it  utters  most 
pitiful  cries,  greatly  resembling  those  of  an  infant. 
The  flesh  cut  into  steaks  and  broiled,  is  not  unlike 
very  coarse  beef,  and  the  harslet  in  appearance 
and  taste  is  so  much  like  that  of  a  hog,  that  it 
would  be  no  easy  matter  to  distinguish  the  one 
from  the  other;  from  this  circumstance  the  sailors 
li:»ve  given  tlie  name  of  the  herring  hog  to  this  fish; 


►  '.HJ 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


19 


I  was  told  by  some  of  the  crew,  that  if  one  of 
them  happens  to  free  itself  from  the  grains  or  har- 
poons, whon  struck,  all  the  others,  attracted  by 
the  blood,  immediately  quit  the  ship  and  give 
chase  to  the  wounded  one,  and  as  soon  as  they 
overtake  it  immediately  tear  it  in  pieces.  We  al- 
so caught  a  large  shark,  which  had  followed  the 
ship  for  several  days  with  a  hook  which  I  made 
for  the  purpose,  and  although  the  flesh  was  by  no 
means  equal  to  that  of  the  herring  hog,  yet  to 
those  destitute  as  we  were  of  any  thing  fresh,  I 
found  it  eat  very  well.  After  passing  the  Cape 
when  the  sea  had  become  calm  we  saw  great 
numbers  of  Albatrosses,  a  large  brown  and  white 
bird  of  the  goose  kind,  one  of  which  Captain 
Salter  shot,  whose  wings  measured  from  their  ex- 
tremities fifteen  feet.  One  thing,  however,  I 
must  not  omit  mentioning,  as  it  struck  me  in  a 
most  singular  and  extraordinary  manner.  This 
was,  that  on  passing  Cape  Horn  in  December, 
which  was  mid  summer  in  that  climate,  the  nights 
were  so  light,  without  any  moon,  that  we  found 
no  difficulty  whatever  in  reading  small  print  which 
we  frequently  did  during  our  watches. 

In  this  manner,  with  a  fair  wind  and  easy  weath- 
er from  the  28th  of  December,  the  period  of  our 
passing  Cape  Horn,  we  pursued  our  voyage  to  the 
Northward  until  the  12th  of  March  1803,  when 
we  made  Woody  Point  in  Nootka  Sound  on  the 
North  West  Coast  of  America.  We  immediately 
stood  up  the  Sound  for  Nootka,  where  Captain 
Salter  had  determined  to  stop,  in  order  to  supply 
the  ship  with  wood  and  water  before  proceeding  up 
the  coast  to  trade.  But  in  order  to  avoid  the  risk 
of  any  molestation  or  interruption  to  his  men  from 
the  Indians,  while  thus  employed,   he  proceeded 


^4» 


\ 


,*■ 


■AlHMMi 


immw  '   .'«iii 


•I 


,1    " 


20 


jkwitt's  narrative. 


with  the  ship  about  five  miles  to  the  Northward  of 
the  village,  which  is  situated  on  Friendly  Cove, 
(uid  sent  out  his  chief  mate  with  several  of  the  crew 
in  the  hoat  to  find  a  good  place  for  anchoring  her. 
— After  sounding  for  some  time  tliey  returned  with 
information  that  they  had  discovered  a  secure  place 
for  anchorage,  on  the  Western  side  of  an  inlet  or 
small  bay  at  about  half  a  mile  from  the  coast,  near 
a  small  island  which  protected  it  from  the  sea,  and 
where  there  was  a  plenty  of  wood  and  excellent  wa- 
ter. The  ship  accordingly  came  to  anchor  in  this 
place,  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  in  twelve  fathom 
water,  muddy  bottom,  and  so  near  the  shore  that  to 
prevent  the  ship  from  winding  we  secured  her  by 
a  hauser  to  the  trees.     On  the  morning  of  the  next 


,-,:  The  arrival  of  the  Boston,  »t  Nootka  Sound,      i  ,^    v 

day,  the  thirteenth,  several  of  the  natives  came  on 
board  in  a  canoe  from  the  village  of  Nootka,  with 
\  their  king,  called  Maquina,  who  appeared  much 
',  pleased  on  seeing  us,  and  with  great  seeming  cor- 
diality, welcomed  Capt.  Salter  and  his  officers  to 
his  country.     As  I  had  never  before  beheld  asav* 


■■>^ 


JEWITT  S   NARRATIVE. 


21 


M 


age  of  any  nation,  it  may  readily  be  supposed  that 
the  nov(!lty  of  their  appearance,  so  diliorent  from 
any  pcopk'  that  I  liad  hitherto  seen,  excited  in  me 
strong  feehnirs  of  surprise  and  curiosity.  I  was, 
however,  particularly  struck  with  the  looks  of  their 
king,  whofwas  a  man  of  a  dignified  aspect,  about 
six  feet  inlicight  and  extremely  strait  and  wefll 
proportioned;  his  features  were  in  general  good 
and  his  face  was  rendered  remarkable  by  a  large 
Roman  nose,  a  very  uncommon  form  of  feature 
among  tiiese  j)eople;  his  complexion  was  of  a  dark 
copper  hue,  though  his  face,  legs,  and  arms  were 
on  tills  occasion,  so  covered  with  red  paint,  that 
their  natural  colour  could  scarcely  be  perceived,  his 
eye-brows  ^^  ere  painted  black  in  two  broad  stripes 
like  a  new  moon,  and  his  long  black  hair,  which 
shone  with  oil,  was  fastened  in  a  bunch  on  the  top 
of  his  head  and  strewed  or  powdered  all  over  with 
white  down,  which  gave  him  a  most  curious  and 
extraordinary  appearance.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
large  mantle  or  cloak  of  the  black  sea  otter  skin, 
which  reached  to  his  knees,  and  was  fastened 
around  his  middle  by  a  broad  belt  of  the  cloth 
of  the  country,  wrought,  or  painted  with  figures 
of  several  colours;  this  dress  was  by  no  means  un- 
becoming, but  on  the  contrary  had  an  air  of  sav- 
age magnificence.  His  men  were  habited  in 
mantles  of  the  same  cloth,  which  is  made  from  the 
bark  of  a  tree,  and  has  some  resemblance  to  straw 
matting,  these  are  nearly  square  and  have  two  holes 
in  the  upper  part  large  enough  to  admit  the  arms — 
they  reach  as  low  as  the  knees,  and  are  fastened 
around  their  bodies  with  a  belt  about  four  mches 
broad  of  the  same  clotRI  ^— 

From  his  having  freqi^ently  visited  the  English 
and  American  ships  that  traded  to  the  coast,  Ma- 


22 


jewitt's  narrative. 


qiiina  had  learned  the  signification  of  a  number  of 
English  words,  and  in  general  could  make  himself 
pretty  well  understood  by  us  in  our  own  language. 
Me  was  always  the  first  to  go  on  board  such  ships 
as  came  to  Nootka,  which  he  was  much  pleased 
in  visiting,  even  when  he  had  no  trade  to  otTer,  as 
he  almost  always  received  some  small  present,  and 
was  in  general  extremely  well  treated  by  the  com- 
manders. He  remained  on  board  of  us  for  some 
lime  during  which  the  captain  took  him  into  the 
cabin  aiivl  treated  him  with  a  glass  of  rum;  these 
people  being  very  fond  of  distilled  spirits,  and 
some  biscuit  and  molasses  which  they  prefer  to 
any  kind  of  food  that  we  can  ofl^er  them. 
-  As  there  are  seldom  many  furs  to  be  purchased 
at  this  place,  and  it  was  not  fully  the  season,  Capt. 
Salter  had  put  in  here  not  so  much  with  an  expec- 
tation of  trading  as  to  ])rocure  an  ample  stock  of 
wood  and  water  for  the  supply  of  the  ship  on  the 
coast,  thinking  it  more  prudent  to  take  it  on  board 
at  Nootka,  from  the  generally  friendly  disposition 
of  the  people,  than  to  endanger  the  safety  of  his 
men  in  sending  them  on  shore  for  that  purpose 
among  the  more  ferocious  natives  of  the  north. 
With  this  view,  we  immediately  seV  about  getting 
our  water  casks  in  readiness,  and  the  next  and  two 
succeeding  days  part  of  the  crew  were  sent  on 
shore  to  cut  pine  timber  and  assist  the  carpenter 
hi  making  it  into  yards  and  spars  for  the  ship, 
while  those  on  board  were  employed  in  refitting 
the  rigging,  repairing  the  sails,  &c.  when  we  pro- 
ceeded to  take  in  our  wood  and  water  as  expedi- 
tiously as  possible,  during  which  time  I  kept  my* 
self  busily  employed  in  repairing  the  muskets, 
making  knives,  tomaxes,  &c.  and  doing  such  iron 
work  as  was  wanted  for  the  ship.     Meantime  more 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


9S 


;uage. 


/ 


or  less  of  the  natives  came  on  board  of  i is  daily,  i 
bringine;  with  them  fresh  salmon  with  which  they 
supplied  us  in  great  plenty,  receiving  in  return 
some  uilling  articles.  Capt.  Salter  was  always 
very  particular  beforo  admitting  these  people  on 
board  to  see  that  they  had  no  arms  about  them, 
by  obligiu'j;  them  indiscriminately  to  dirow  o(l' their 
^  garments,  so  diat  he  felt  ])crfcctly  secure  from  any 
flf  attack.     On  the  fifteenth  the  king  came  on  board 

'    with  several  of  his  chiefs;  he  was  dressed  as  be- 

,  fore  in  his  magnificent  otter  skin  robe,  having  bis 
face  highly  painted,  and  his  hair  tossed  off  with 
die  white  down  which  looked  like  snow;  his 
chiefs   Mere    dressed   ir    mar  ties   of  the    coimtry 

I   cloth  of  its  natural  colour,  which  is  a  pale  yellow; 

*  these  were  ornamented  with  a  broad  border  paint- 
ed or  wrought  in  figures  of  several  colours  repre- 
senting men's  heads,  various  animals,  &c.  and  se- 
cured around  diem  by  a  belt  like  tliat  of  the  king 
from  which  it  was  distinguished  only  by  being 
narrower:  the  dress  of  the  common  people  is  of 
the  same  fashion  and  diflers  from  that  of  the  chiefs 
in  being  of  a  coarser  texture  and  painted  red,  of 
one  uniform  colour,      "» 

Captain  Salter  invited  Maquina  and  his  chiefs 
to  dine  with  him,  and  it  was  curious  to  see  how 
these  people  (when  they  eat)  seat  themselves  (in 
their  country  fashion  upon  our  chairs)  with  their 
feet  under  them  crossed  like  Turks.  They  can- 
not endure  the  taste  of  salt,  and  the  only  thing 
they  would  eat  with  us  was  the  ship  bread  which 
they  were  very  fond  of,  especially  when  dipped  in 
molasses;  they  had  also  a  great  liking  for  tea  and 
coffee  when  well  sweetened.  As  iron  weapons 
and  tools  of  almost  every  kind  are  in  much  request 
among  them,  whenever  they  came  on  board  they 


24 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


f 


1: 


\ 


I- 


■I 


\ 


were  always  very  attentive  to  me,  crowding  around 
me  at  the  forge,  as  if  to  see  in  what  manner  I  did 
my  work,  and  in  this  way  became  quite  fiuiiiliar, 
a  circumstance,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  end,  of 
great  imj)ortance  to  me.  The  sahnon  which  they 
brought  us  furnished  a  most  delicious  treat  to  men 
who  for  a  long  time  had  lived  wholly  on  salt  pro- 
visions excepting  such  few  sea  fish  as  we  had  the 
good  fortune  occasionally  to  take.  We  indeed 
feasted  most  luxuriously,  and  flattered  ourselves 
that  we  should  not  want  while  on  the  coast  for 
plenty  of  fresh  provisions,  little  imagining  the  fate 
that  awaited  us,  and  that  this  dainty  food  was  to 
prove  the  unfortunate  lure  to  our  destruction!  On 
the  nineteendi,  the  king  came  again  on  board  and 
was  invited  by  the  Captain  to  dine  with  him.  He 
Iiad  much  conversation  with  Capt.  Salter,  and  in- 
formed him  that  there  were  plenty  of  wild  ducks 
and  geese  near  Friendly  Cove,  on  which  the  Cap- 
tain made  him  a  present  of  a  double-barreled  fowl- 
ing piece  with  which  he  appeared  to  be  greatly 
pleased  and  soon  after  went  on  shore. 

On  the  20th  we  were  nearly  ready  for  our  de- 
parture, having  taken  in  what  wood  and  water  we 
were  in  want  of. 

^  The  next  day  Maquina  came  on  board  with 
nine  pair  of  w^ild  ducks,  as  a  present,  at  the  same 
time  he  brought  witn  him  the  gun,  one  of  the  locks 
of  which  he  had  broken,  telling  the  Captain  that  il 
was  peshak^  that  is  bad;  Capt.  Salter  was  very 
much  offended  at  this  observation,  and  consider- 
ing it  as  a  mark  of  contempt  for  his  present,  he 
called  the  king  a  liar,  adding  other  opprobrious 
terms,  and  taking  the  gun  from  him  tossed  it  in- 
dignantly into  the  cabin  and  calling  me  to  him  said, 
'  John,  this  fellow  has  broken  this  beautiful  fowl* 


,if 


\ 


jewitt's  narrative. 


M 


;  around 
T  I  did 
hniiliar, 
3nd,  of 
ch  they 

to  men 
;alt  pro- 
had  the 

indeed 
nrselves 
oast  for 
the  fate 

was  to 
on!  On 
lard  and 
n.     He 

and  in- 
d  ducks 
he  Gap- 
ed fowl- 
greatly 

our  de- 
ater  we 

rd  with 
le  same 
le  locks 
n  that  il 
as  very 
onsider- 
sent,  ha 
robrious 
id  it  in- 
lim  said, 
ill  fowl- 


•1 


ing  piece,  see  if  you  can  mend  it:*  on  examining 
it  I  told  him  that  it  could  be  done. — As  I  have 
already  observed,  Maciuina  knew  a  number  of 
Eni:;lish  words,  and  unlortunalely  understood  but 
too  well  the  meaning  of  the  reproachful  terms  that 
mo  Captain  addressed  to  him. — He  said  not  a 
word  in  reply,  but  his  countenance  sufficiently  ex- 
]>ressed  the  rage  he  felt,  though  he  exerted  him- 
self to  suppress  it,  and  I  observed  him  while  the 
Captain  was  speaking  repeatedly  put  his  hand  to/ 
his  throat  and  rub  it  upon  his  bosom,  which  he 
aftorwards  told  me  was  to  keep  down  his  heart 
wiiich  was  rising  into  his  throat  and  choaking  him. 
He  soon  after  went  on  shore  with  his 
dontly  much  discomposed. 


men. 


evi- 


^-•1 


On  the  morning  of  the  22d  the  natives  came 


to  us  as  usual  with  salmon,  and  remained  on  board, 
when  about  noon  Maquina  came  along  side  with  a 
considerable  number  of  his  chiefi^  and  men  in  their 
canoes,  who,  after  going  through  the  customary 
examination  were  admitted  into  the  ship.  He  had 
a  whistle  in  his  hand,  and  over  his  face  a  very  ug- 
ly mask  of  wood  representing  the  head  of  some 
wild  beast,  appeared  to  be  remarkably  good  hu- 
moured and  gay,  and  whilst  his  people  sung  and 
capered  about  the  deck,  entertaining  us  with  a  va- 
riety of  antic  tricks  and  gestures,  he  blew  his 
whistle  to  a  kind  of  tune  which  seemed  to  regulate 
their  motions.  As  Capt.  Salter  was  walking  on 
the  quarter  deck  amusing  himself  with  their  danc- 
ing, the  king  came  up  to  him  and  enquired  when 
he  intended  to  go  to  sea? — he  answered,  to-mor-  ' 
row. — Maquina  then  said,  'you  love  i^almon — 
much  in  Friendly  Cove,  why  not  go  then  and 
catch  some?' — The  Captain  thought  that  it  would 
be  very  desirable  to  have  a  good  supply  of  these 


I 

r 

I 


26 


jewitt's  narrative. 


:» ■ 


i  > 


fish  for  the  voyage,  and  on  consultmg  with  Mr 
Delouisa  it  was  agreed  to  send  part  of  the  crew 
on  shore  aftqr  dinner  with  the  seine  in  order  to 
j)ro('ure  a  quantity — Maquina  and  liis  chiefs  staid 
and  dined  on  board,  and  after  (Hnner  the  chief 
male  went  off  with  nine  men  in  tiie  jolly  boat  and 
yawl  to  fish  at  Friendly  Cove,  having  set  the 
steward  on  shore  at  cmr  watering  place  to  wash 
the  captain's  clothes.  rSliortly  after  the  departure 
of  the  boats  I  went  dowrTTo  my  vice-bench  in  the 
steerage,  where  I  was  employed  in  cleaning  musk- 
ets. I  had  not  been  there  more  than  an  hour 
when  I  heard  the  men  hoisting  in  the  long  boat, 
which,  in  a  few  minutes  after,  was  succeeded  by 
a  great  bustle  and  confusion  on  deck.  I  immedi- 
ately ran  up  the  steerage  stairs,  but  scarcely  was 
my  head  above  deck,  when  I  was  caught  by  the 
hair  by  one  of  the  savages,  and  lifted  from  my 
feet;  fortunately  for  me,  my  hair  being  short,  and 
the  ribbon  with  which  it  was  tied  slipping,  I  fell 
from  his  hold  into  the  steerage.  As  I  was  falling, 
he  struck  at  me  with  an  axe,  which  cut  a  deep 
gash  in  my  forehead,  and  penetrated  the  skull,  but 
in  consequence  of  his  losing  his  hold,  I  luckily  es- 
caped the  full  force  of  the  blow;  which,  otherwise, 
would  have  cleft  my  head  in  two.  I  fell,  stunned 
and  senseless  upon  the  floor — how  long  I  continu- 
ed in  this  situation  I  know  not,  but  on  recovering 
my  senses  the  first  thing  that  I  did,  was  to  try  to 
get  up;  but  so  weak  was  I,  from  the  loss  of  blood, 
that  I  fainted  and  fell.  I  was  however  soon  re- 
called to  my  recollection  by  three  loud  shouts  or 
yells  from  the  savages,  which  convinced  me  that 
they  had  got  possession  of  the  ship4»  It  is  impos- 
sible for  me  to  describe  my  feelings*at  this  terrific 
sound.— Some  faint  idpa  mav  be  foimed  of  tbpm 


JEWITT  »  NARRATIVE. 


27 


Mr 

M-ew 
r  to 
staid 
jbicf 

and 
:  the 
wash 
irture 
Li  the 
nusk- 

hour 
boat,  ■ 

jd  by 

medl- 

T  was 

y  the 

n  niy 
an<i 
I  fell 
Hing;, 
deep 
1,  but 
ily  es- 
rwise, 
unned 
ntinu- 
vcring; 
try  to 
Iblood, 
n  re- 
Its  or 
e  that 
^mpos- 
terrific 


■"> 


xii 


by  those  who  have  known  what  it  is  to  half  waken 
from  a  hideous  dreani  and  still  think  it  real.      Nev- 
er, no,  never,  shall  I  lose  from  my  mind,  the  im- 
pression  of  that   dreadful   moment.      I    expeeted 
every  instant  to  share  the  wretched  fate  of  my  un- 
fortunate companions,  and  whnn  I  heard  the  song 
of  triumph,  by  which  these  infernal  yells  \va|;j;suc-^«.'' ' 
ceeded,  my  blood  ran  cold  in  my  veins .y^5^'in§ 
at  length  sufficiently  recovered  my  senses' to  look 
around  me  after  wiping  the  blood  from  my  eyes,  I 
saA'  diat  the  hatch  of  the  steerage  was  shut.     This 
was  done,  as  I  afterwards  discovered,  by  order  of 
Maquina,  who,  on  seeing  the  savage  strike  at  me 
with  the  axe,  told  him  not  to  hurt  me,   for  that  I 
was  the  armourer,  and  would  be  useful  to  them  in 
repairing  their  arms;  while  at  the  same  time   to 
prevent  any  of  his  men  from  injuring  me,   he  had    • 
the  hatch  closed.     But  to  me  this  circumstance 
wore  a  very  different  appearance,   for   I  thought 
that  these  barbarians   had  only  prolonged  my  life 
in  ordei^to  deprive  me  of  it  by  the  most  cruel  tor- 
tures JI^I  remained  in  this  horrid  state  of  suspense 
for  aVery  long  time,  when  at  length  the  hatch  was 
opened,  and  Maquina,  calling  me  by  name,  order- 
ed me  to  come  u}).      T  groped  my  way  up  as  well 
as  I  was  able,  being  almost  blinded  with  the  blood 
that  flowed  from  my  wound,  and  so  weak  as  with 
dilliculty  to  walk.      The  king,   on  perceiving  my 
situation,   ordered  one  of  his   men  to  bring  a  pot 
of  water  to  wash  the  blood  from  my  face,  which 
having  done,  I  was  able  to  see  distinctly  with  one 
of  my  eyes,  but  the  other  was  so  swollen  from  my 
wound,  that  it  was  closed.     But  what  a  terrific 
spectacle  met  my  eyes;  six  naked  savages,  stand- 
ing in  a  circle  around  me,  covered  with  the  blood 
of  my  murdered  comrades,  with  dieir  daggers  up- 


28 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I  I 


lifted  in  their  hands,  prepared  to  strike.  I  now 
thought  my  last  moment  had  come,  and  recom- 
menrled  my  soul  to  my  Maker. — The  king,  who, 
as  I  have  air  ady  observed,  knew  enough  of  Eng- 
lish to  make  himself  understood,  entered  the  cir- 
cle, and  placing  himself  before  me,  addressed  me 
nearly  in  the  following  words — "John — I  speak 
-—you  no  say  no — You  say  no — daggers  come!" 
lie  then  asked  me  if  I  would  be  his  slave  during 
my  life — If  I  would  fight  for  him  in  his  battles — 
If  I  would  repair  his  muskets  and  make  dagge-s 
and  kiiives  for  him — with  several  other  questions, 
to  all  of  which  I  was  careful  to  ans.wer,  yes.  He 
then  told  me  that  he  would  spare  my  life,  and  or- 
dered me  to  kiss  his  hnnds  and|feet  to  show  my 
submission  to  him,  which  I  dmTJ-In  the  mean  time 
his  people  were  very  clamorous; to  have  me  put  to 
death,  so  that  there  should  be  lione  of  us  left  to 
tell  our  story  to  our  countrymen  and  prevent  them 
from  coming  to  trade  with  them;  but  the  king,  in 
the  most  determined  manner  opposed  their  wishes, 
and  to  his  favour  am  I  wholly  indebted  for  my  be- 
ing yet  among  the  living.  As  I  was  busy  at  work 
at  the  time  of  the  attack,  I  was  without  my  coat, 
and  what  with  the  coldness  of  the  weather,  my 
feebleness  from  loss  of  blood,  the  pain  of  my 
wound  and  the  extreme  a2:itation  and  terror  that  I 
still  felt,  I  shook  like  a  leaf,  which  the  king  ob- 
serving, went  into  the  cabin  and  bringing  up  a 
great  coat  that  belonged  to  the  captain,  threw  it 
over  my  shoulders,  telling  me  to  drink  some  rum 
from  a  bottle  which  he  handed  me  at  the  same 
time,  giving  me  to  understand  that  it  would  be 
good  for  me  and  keep  me  from  trembling  as  I  did. 
I  took  a  drauglit  of  it,  aft/^r  which,  taking  me  by 
the  hand,  he  led  me  to  the  quarter  deck,   where 


'S^'i^ 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


29 


I" 


in 


tlio  most  liorri.l  siiJit  prcsonted  itself  that  ever  my 
r>\es  \\itn(\Nse(i — ilvi  bonds  of  our  unfortunate  Cap- 
lain  and  liis  crow,  to  the  nunijjor  of  twenty-five, 
wrvv  all  arrnnued  in  a  hue,  and  Matjuina  ordering 
oiio  of  his  peoj)h3  to  hrinj:  a  head,  asked  me  wliosc 
ii  was:  I  answered,  ilie  Captain's;  in  like  manner 
t!i('  others  were  showed  me,  and  I  told  him  thj 
iM'imes,  excepting  a  few  that  were  so  horribly  m; 
ylod  that  I  \A'as  not  abb?  to  reco2;nize  them.  II 
now  disoovered  that  all  our  unfortunate  crow  l\|d 
b;  Ml  massacred,  ami  learned  that  after  sjetting  pos- 
session of  the  ship,  the  savages  had  broke  open 
t!io  [\Y\n  clu^st  and  magazine,  and  supplying  them- 
?' Ivos  with  ammunition  and  arms,  sent  a  party  on 
s'lore  to  attack  our  men  who  bad  sfone  thither  to 
fisb,  and  being  joined  by  numbers  from  the  village, 
v.ilbout  difhculty  overpowered  and  murdered 
them,  and  cutting  off  their  heads,  brought  them 
or.  ])oar(l,  after  throwing  their  bodies  into  the  sea. 
On  looking  upon  the  deck,  I  saw  it  entirely  cov- 
ered with  the  blood  of  my  poor  comrades,  whose 
throats  had  been  cut  with  their  own  jack-knives, 
the  savages  having  seized  the  opportunity  while 
th(\v  were  busy  in  hoisting  in  the  boat  to  grapple 
vviii)  them  and  overpower  tiiem  by  their  nu!nbers; 
in  tlie  scuffle  the  captain  was  thrown  overboard 
r\u(\  despatched  by  tho3^  in  the  canoes,  who  imme- 
diately cut  off  his  heaTnj  What  I  felt  on  this  occa- 
sion, may  be  more  rtadily  conceived  than  ex- 
pres^d. 

fiftcr  I  bad  answered  his  questions,  Maquina 
took  my  silk  handkerchief  from  my  neck  and  bound 
it  around  my  hearl,  ])lacing  over  the  wound  a  leaf 
of  tobacco,  of  which  we  had  a  quantity  on  board. 
This  was  done  at  mv  desire,  as  I  had  often  found 

3* 


mfsmm 


^ 
■% 


SO 


jewitt's  narrative. 


i 


from  personal  experience  the  benefit  of  this  appli- 
cation to  cuts. 

Maquina  then  ordered  me  to  get  the  ship  under 
weigli  for  Friendly  Cove.  Tliis  I  did  by  cutting; 
the  cables  and  sending  some  of  the  natives  aloft  to 
loose  the  sails,  v/hich  they  performed  in  a  very 
bungling  manner.  l]ut  tliey  succeeded  so  far  in 
loosing  the  jib  and  topsails,  that,  with  the  advan- 
tage of  a  fair  wind,  I  succeeded  in  getting  the  ship 
into  the  Cove,  where,  by  order  of  the  King,  I  ran 
her  ashore  on  a  sandy  beach,  at  8  o'clock  at  niglif. 

We  were  received  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  vil- 
lage, men,  women,  and  children,  with  loud  shouts 
of  jvn",  and  a  most  horri!)le  drumming  with  sticks 
upon  the  roofs  and  sides  of  llieir  houses,  in  which 
they  had  also  stuck  a  great  number  of  lighted  pine  ^* 
torciies,  to  welcome  their  king's  return  and  con-f; 
gratuiate  hnn  on  the  success  ot  his  enterprize.    '    s 

Maquina  then  took  me  on  shore  to  his  iiouse,  * 
which  was  very  large  and  filled  with  people — 
where  I  was  received  with  much  kindness  bv  the 
women,  particularly  those  belonging  to  the  king, 
wdio  had  uq  less  than  nine  wives,  all  of  whom 
came  around  me  expressing  much  sympathy  for  my 
misfortune,  gently  stroking  and  patting  my  head  in 
an  encouraging  and  soothing  manner,  with  words 
expressive  of  condolence.  How  sweet  is  compas- 
sion even  from  savages? — Those  who  have  been 
in  a  similar  situation,  can  alone  truly  appreciate  its 
value. 

In  the  mean  time,  all  the  w^arrlors  of  the  tribe, 
to  the  number  of  five  hundred,  had  assembled  at 
the  king's  house  to  rejoice  for  their  success. 
They  exulted  greatly  in  having  taken  our  ship, 
and  each  one  boasted  of  his  own  particular  exploits 


JEWITT  S   NARRATIVE. 


31 


1  appli- 

I  under 
cultiiij; 
aloft  to 
a  veiy 
3  far  iu 
advun- 
lie  ship 
5,  I  I  an 
t  nidit. 
the  vii- 
l  shouts 
I  sticks 
1  which 
ed  pine ' 
fid  con- 1 
ze .        I 

iiouse, ' 
jople — 

hv  the 
le  kins;, 
whom 

for  my 

head  in 
words 

ompas- 
^e  been 
:;iate  its 

e  tribe, 
bled  at 
luccess. 
ir  ship, 
exploits 


m 


in  killing  our  men,  but  they  were  in  geneial  much 
dissatisfied  with  my  having  been  suffered  to  live, 
and  were  very  urgent  with  Maquina  to  deliver  me 
to  them  to  be  put  to  death,  which  he  obstinately  re- 
fused to  do,  telling  them  that  he  had  promised  me 
my  life  niid  would  not  break  his  word;  and  that 
besides,  I  knew  how-  to  repair  and  to  make  ai'ms, 
and  should  be  of  great  use  to  them. 

The  king  dien  seated  me  by  him  and  ordered 
his  women  to  bring  him  something  to  eat,  when 
thoy  set  before  him  some  dried  clams  and  train 
oil,  of  which  he  ate  very  heartily.,  and  encouraged 
Hie  to  follow^  his  example,  telling  me  to  eat  much 
and  take  a  great  deal  of  oil  which  would  make  me 
strong;  and  fut;  notwithstanding  his  praise  of  this 
new  kind  of  food,  I  felt  no  disposition  to  indulge 
in  it,  both  die  smell  and  taste  being  loathsome  to 
me;  and  had  it  been  otherwise,  such  was  the  pain 
I  endiu'cd.  the  agitation  of  my  mind,  and  the 
gloominess  of  my  reflections,  that  I  should  have 
felt  very  litde  inclination  for  eating.  Not  satisfied 
with  his  first  refusal  to  deliver  me  up  to  them,  the 
people  again  became  clamorous  that  Maquina  should 
consent  to  my  being  killed,  saying  that  not  one  of 
us  ought  to  be  left  alive  to  give  information  to 
others  of  our  countrymen  and  prevent  them  from 
coming  to  trade  or  induce  them  to  revenge  the  de- 
struction of  our  ship,  and  they  at  length  liecame  so 
boisterous  that  he  caught  up  a  large  club  in  a  pas- 
sion and  drove  them  all  out  of  the  house.  During 
this  scene  a  son  of  the  king,  of  about  elev'en  years 
old,  attracted  no  doubt  by  the  singularity  of  my  ap- 
pearance came  up  to  me:  I  caressed  him;  he  re- 
turned my  attentions  with  much  apparent  pleasure, 
and  considering  this  as  a  fortunate  opportunity  to 
g-iin  the  good  will  of  the  father,  I  look  the  child 


«» 


52 


jewitt's  narrative. 


': 


on  my  knee,  and  cutting  the  metal  buttons  from  ofl' 
the  coat  I  had  on,  I  tied  them  around  his  neck. 
At  tliis  he  was  highly  delighted,  and  became  so 
much  attached  to  me  that  he  would  not  quit  me. 

The  king  a])pc'are(l  much  pleased  with  my  at- 
tention to  his  son,  and  telling  me  that  it  was  tune 
to  go  to  sleep,  directed  me  to  lie  with  his  son  next 
to  him,  as  he  was  afraid  lest  some  of  his  people 
would  come  while  he  was  asleep  and  kill  me  with 
their  daggers.  I  Iny  down  as  he  ordered  me,  but 
neither  the  state  of  my  mind  nor  the  pain  I  felt 
would  allow  me  '  )  sleep.  About  midnight  I  was 
greatly  alarmed  by  the  approach  of  one  of  the  na- 
tives, who  came  to  give  information  to  the  king 
that  there  was  one  of  the  white  men  alive,  who 
had  knocked  him  down  as  he  went  on  board  the 
ship  at  night.  This  Maquina  communicated  to 
me,  giving  me  to  understand  that  as  soon  as  the  sun 
rose  he  should  kill  him.  I  endeavoured  to  per- 
suade him  to  spare  his  life,  but  he  bade  me  be 
silent  and  go  to  sleep.  I  said  nothing  more  but 
lay  revolving  in  my  mind  what  method  I  could  de- 
vise to  save  the  life  of  this  man.  What  a  con- 
solation thought  I,  what  a  happiness  would  it 
prove  to  me  in  my  foilorn  state  among  these 
heathen,  to  have  a  Christian  and  one  of  my  own  conn 
trymcn  for  a  cojupanion,  and  how  erreatly  would 
it  alleviate  and  li!j;hten  the  burden  of  my  slavery. 
As  I  was  thinking  of  some  plan  for  his  preserva- 
tion, it  all  at  once  came  into  my  mind  that  this 
man  was  probably  die  sail-maker  of  the  ship,  named 
Thompson,  as  I  had  not  seen  liis  head  among 
those  on  deck,  and  knew  that  he  was  below  at 
w^ork  upon  the  sails  not  long  before  the  attack 
The  more  I  thought  of  it  the  more  probable  it  ap- 
peared to  me,  and  as  Thompson  wOfS  a  man  nearly 


M 


4 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


33 


with 


■  (brty  years  of  age,  and  had  an  old  look,  I  conceiv- 
ed it  would  be  easy  to  make  him  ])ass  for  my  fath- 
er, and  by  this  means  prevail  on  Maquina  to  spare 
his  life.  Towards  morning  1  fell  into  a  doze,  but 
was  awakened  with  die  first  beams  of  the  sun  by 
tlie  king,  who  told  me  that  he  was-  going  to  kill 
the  man  who  was  on  board  the  ship,  and  ordered 
me  to  accompany  him.  I  rose  and  followed  him, 
leading  with  me  the  young  prince  his  son. 

On  coming  to  the  beach  I  found  all  the  men  of 
-   ilie  tribe  assembled.     The  king  addressed  them, 
saying  that  one  of  the  white  men  had  been  found 
alive  on  board  the  ship,  and  requested  their  opin- 
ion as  to  saving  his  life  or  putting  him  to  death. 
They  were  unanimously  for  the  first:      This  de- 
termination he  made  known  to  me.     Having  ar- 
ran2;ed  my  plan,  I  asked  him,  pointing  to  the  boy 
whom  I  still  held  by  the  hand,  if  he  loved  his  son, 
he  answered  that  he  did;  I  then  asked  the  child  if 
lie  loved  his  father,  and  on  replying  in  the  afi^rma- 
tive,  I  saidjind^-'-'- 1  also  love  mine."     I  then  threw 
myself  on  my  knees  at  Maquina's  feet,  and  implor- 
'    ed  him  with  tears  in  my  eyes  to  spare  my  father's 
life,  if  the  man  on  board  should  prove  to  be  him, 
telling  him  that  if  he  killed  my  father  it  was  my 
wish  that  he  should  kill  me  too,  and  that  if  he  did 
not  I  would  kill  myself, — and  that  he  would  thus 
lose  my  services;  whereas,  by  sparing  my  father's 
lif[3  he  would  preserve  mine,  which  would  be  of 
Igreat  advantac;e  to  him  by  my  repairing  and  mak- 
|ing  arms  for  him.       Maquina  appeared  moved  by 
^niy  entreaties  and  promised  not  to  put  the  man  to 
||rirath  if  he  should  be   my  fatlier.      He   then   cx- 
iplained  to  his  people  what  I  had  said,  and  oidered 
Jnie  to  go  on  board  and  tell  the  man  to  come  on 
jhore.      To  my  unspeakable  joy  on  going  into  the 


'S 


,  i 


if 


34 


jewitt's  narrative. 


hold,  I  found  that  my  conjecture  was  true,  Thomp- 
son was  there/  (e  had  escaped  without  any  injury, 
excepting  a  shght  wound  in  the  nose,  giv^en  him  by 
one  of  the  savages  with  a  knife  as  he  attempted  to 
come  on  deck,  during  the  scuffle.  Finding  the 
savages  in  possession  of  the  ship,  as  he  afterwards 
informed  me,  he  secreted  himself  in  the  hold,  hop- 
ing for  some  chance  to  make  his  escape — but  that 
the  Indian  who  came  on  board  in  the  night  ap- 
proaching the  place  where  he  was,  he  supposed 
himself  discovered,  and  being  determined  to  sell 
his  life  as  dearly  as  possible,  as  soon  as  he  came 
within  his  reach,  he  knocked  him  down,  but  the 
Indian  immediately  springing  up,  ran  off  at  full 
speed. — I  informed  him  in  a  few  words  that  all 
our  men  had  been  killed;  that  the  king  had  preserv- 
ed my  life,  and  had  consented  to  spare  his  on  the 
supposition  that  he  was  my  father,  an  opinion 
which  he  must  be  careful  not  to  undeceive  them  in, 
as  it  was  his  only  safety.  After  giving  him  his 
cue,  I  went  on  shore  with  him  and  presented  him 
to  Maquina,  who  immediately  knew  him  to  be  the 
sail-maker  and  was  much  pleased,  observing  that  he 
could  make  sails  for  his  canoe. — He  then  took  us 
to  his  house  and  ordered  something  for  us  to  eat. 

On  the  24th  and  25th  the  natives  w^ere  busily 
employed  in  taking  the  cargo  out  of  the  ship,  strip- 
ping her  of  her  sails  and  rigging,  cutting  away  the 
spars  and  masts,  and  in  short  rendering  her  as 
complete  a  wreck  as  possible,  the  muskets,  am- 
munition, cloth  and  all  the  principal  articles  taken 
from  her,  being  deposited  in  the  king's  house. 

While  they  were  thus  occupied,  each  one  tak- 
ing what  he  liked,  my  companion  and  myself  being 
obliged  to  aid  them,  I  thought  it  best  to  secure 
the  accounts  and  papers  of  the  ship,  in  hopes  that 


JEWITT's   NAIlitATIVE. 


35 


Tliomp- 
Y  injury, 
n  him  by 
iiptcd  to 
ding  the 
terwards 
:)ld,  hop- 
-but  that 
night  ap- 
supposcd 
d  to  sell 
he  came 
,  but  the 
ff  at  full 
5  that  all 
[  preserv- 
lis  on  the 

opinion 
them  in, 

him  his 
nted  him 
to  be  the 
ig  that  he 

took  us 
IS  to  eat. 
re  busily 
lip,  strip- 
away  the 
her  as 
<:ets,  am- 
ies taken 
ouse. 
one  tak- 
elf  being 
o  secure 
opes  that 


jn  some  future  day  I  nilglit  have  it  in  my  power  to 
restore  them  to  ilie  owners.  U'ith  this  view  I 
took  possession  of  the  Ca])tain's  writing  desk 
which  ('oniiuned  the  most  of  them,  together  with 
some  paper  and  im])1ements  for  writing.  I  had 
also  the  good  fortune  to  find  a  blank  account  hook, 
in  which  1  resolved,  should  it  be  permitted  me  to 
write  an  account  of  our  capture  and  the  most  re- 
markable occurrences  that  i  should  meet  with  dur- 
ing my  stay  among  these  people,  fondly  indulging 
the  hope  that  it  would  not  be  long  before  some 
vessel  would  arrive  to  release  us.  I  likewise 
found  in  the  cabin,  a  small  volume  of  sermons,  a 
bible,  and  a  common  prayer  book  of  the  Church 
of  England,  which  furnislied  me  and  my  comrade 
great  consolation  in  the  midst  of  our  mournful 
servitude,  and  enabled  me,  under  the  favor  of 
divine  providence,  to  support,  v.ith  firmness,  the 
miseries  of  a  life  which  I  might  otherwise  have 
found  bcjyond  my  strength  to  endure.  As  these 
people  set  no  value  u})on  things  of  this  kind,  I 
found  no  dilFicully  in  appropriating  them  to  myself, 
by  ])utting  them  in  m.y  chest,  which  though  it  had 
been  broken  open  and  rifled  by  the  savages,  as  I 
still  had  the  key,  I  without  much  difliculty  secur- 
ed. In  this  I  also  put  some  small  tools  belonging 
to  the  ship,  with  several  other  articles,  particularly 
a  journal  kept  by  the  second  mate,  Mr.  Ingraham, 
and  a  collection  of  drawings  and  views  of  places 
taken  by  him,  which  I  had  the  good  fortune  to 
|)reserve,  and  on  my  arrival  at  Boston,  I  gave  them 
^|o  a  connection  of  his,  the  honorable  Judge  Dawes, 
Avho  sent  them  to  his  family  in  New- York. 
g  On  the  26th,  two  ships  were  seen  standing  in 
^r  Friendly  Cove.  At  their  first  appearance  the 
Inhabitants  were  thrown  into  great  confiision,  bi^t 


36 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


11^ 

•I 
\ 

:i 


i 


If 


1- » 


soon  collecting  a  number  of  muskets  and  blunder- 
busses, ran  to  the  shore,  from  whence  they  kept 
up  so  brisk  a  fire  at  them,  that  tliey  were  evidently 


afraid  to  approach  nearer,  and  after  firing  a  few 
rounds  of  grape  shot  which  did  no  harm  to  any 
one,  they  wore  ship  and  stood  out  to  sea.  These 
ships,  as  I  afterwards  learned,  were  the  Mary  and 
Juno  of  Boston. 

They  were  scarcely  out  of  sight  when  Maquina 
expressed  much  regret  that  he  had  permitted  his 
people  to  fire  at  them,  being  apprehensive  that 
they  would  give  information  to  others  in  what 
manner  they  had  been  received,  and  prevent  them 
from  coming  to  trade  with  him. 

A  few  days  after  hearing  of  the  capture  of  the 
ship,  there  ajrived  at  Nootka  a  great  number  of 
canoes  filled  with  savages  from  no  less  than  twenty 
tribes  to  the  North  and  South.  Among  those 
from  the  North  were  the  Ai-tiz-zarts,  Schoo-mad- 
i(s,  Neu-wit-ties,  Savin-nars,  Ah-owz-arts,  Mo- 
watch-its,  Suth-setts,  Neu-chad-lits,  Mich-la-its 
and  Cay-u-quets ;  the  most  of  whom  w^ere  consid- 
ered as  tributary  to  Nootka.     From  the  South, 


jewitt's  narrative. 


37 


under- 
y  kept 
idently 


^ 


g  a  few 
to  any 
These 

lary  and 

Maquina 
tted  his 
ve  that 
n  what 
nt  them 

e  of  the 
nber  of 
1  twenty 
ig  those 
oo-mad- 
ts,  Mo- 
ch-la-its 
consid- 
South, 


■I 


the  Aytch-arts  and  Esquiates  also  tributary,  with 
the  Kla-oo-quates,  and  the  Wickanninish,  a  largo 
and  powerful  tribe  about  two  hundred  miles  dis- 
tant. These  last  were  better  clad  than  most  of 
the  others,  and  their  canoes  wrought  with  much 
greater  skill;  they  are  furnished  with  sails  as  well 
as  paddles,  and  with  the  advantage  of  a  fair  breeze, 
are  usually  but  twenty-four  hours  on  their  passage. 
Maquina,  who  was  very  proud  of  his  new  ac- 
quisition, was  desirous  of  welcoming  these  visitors 
in  the  European  manner.  iHe  accordingly  order- 
ed his  men,  as  the  canoes  "approached,  to  assem- 
ble on  the  beach  with  loaded  muskets  and  blunder- 
busses, placing  Thompson  at  the  cannon  which 
had  been  brought  from  the  ship  and  laid  upon  two 
long  sticks  of  timber  in  front  of  the  villagey  then 
taking  a  speaking  trumpet  in  his  hand  he  ascended 
with  me  the  roof  of  his  house,  and  began  drum- 
ming or  beating  upon  the  boards  with  a  stick 
most  violently.  Nothing  could  be  more  ludi- 
crous than  the  appearance  of  this  motley  group  of 
savages  collected  on  the  shore,  dressed  as  they 
were,  with  their  ill-gotten  finery,  in  the  most  fan- 
tastic manner,  some  in  women's  smocks,  taken 
from  our  cargo,  others  in  Kotsacksy  (or  cloaks) 
of  blue,  red  or  yellow  broadcloth,  with  stockings 
drawn  over  their  heads,  and  their  necks  hung  round 
with  numbers  of  powder-horns,  shot-bags,  and  car- 
touch-boxes,  some  of  them  having  no  less  than  ten 
muskets  a  piece  on  their  shoulders,  and  five  or  six 
daggers  in  their  girdles.  Diverting  indeed  was  it 
to  see  them  all  squatted  upon  the  beach,  holding 
their  muskets  perpendicularly,  with  the  butt  pres- 
sed upon  the  sand  instead  of  against  their  should- 
ers, and  in  this  position,  awaited  the  order  to  fire. 
Maquina,  at  last,  called  to  them  with  his  trumpet 


38 


JEWITT  8  NARRATIVE. 


to  fire,  which  they  did  in  the  most  awkward  and 
timid  manner,  with  their  muskets  hard  pressed 
upon  the  ground  as  above  mentioned.  At  the 
same  moment  the  cannon  was  fired  by  Thomp- 
son, immediately  on  which  they  threw  themselves 
back  and  began  to  roll  and  tumble  over  the  sand 
as  if  they  had  been  shot,  when  suddenly  springing 
U])  they  began  a  song  of  triumph  and  running  back- 
ward and  forward  upon  the  shore,  \vith  the  wild- 
est gesticulations,  boasted  of  their  exploits  and  ex- 
nibiied  as  trophies  what  they  had  taken  from  us.l 
Notwithstanding  the  unpleasantness  of  my  situation, 
and  the  feelings  that  this  display  of  our  spoils  ex- 
cited, I  could  not  avoid  laughing  at  the  strange 
Mppearance  of  these  savages,  their  awkward  move- 
ments, and  the  singular  contrast  of  tlieir  dress  and 
arms. 

Whtn  the  ceremony  was  concluded,  Maquina  in- 
vited the  strangers  to  a  feast  at  his  house,  consist- 
ing of  whwle  blubber,  smoked  herring  spawn,  and 
dried  fish  and  train  oil,  of  which  they  eat  most 
plentifully.  The  feast  being  over,  the  trays  out 
of  which  they  eat,  and  other  things  were  immedi- 
ately removed  to  make  room  for  the  dance  which 
was  to  close  the  entertainment.  This  was  per- 
formed by  Maquina's  son,  the  young  prince  Sat- 
sat-sok'sis,  whom  1  have  already  spoken  of,  in  the 
following  manner — Three  of  the  principal  chiefs, 
drest  in  their  otter-skin  mantles,  which  they  wore 
only  on  e>3:?faordinary  occasions  and  at  festivals, 
having  their  heads  covered  over  with  white  down 
and  their  faces  highly  painted,  came  forward  into 
the  middle  of  the  room,  each  furnished  with  a  bag 
filled  with  the  white  down,  which  they  scattered 
around  in  such  a  manner  as  to  represent  a  fall  of 
•now.     These  were  followed  by  tlie  young  prince^ 


4 


jewitt's  narrative. 


J  and 
essed 
Lt  the 
lomp- 
sclves 

sand 
inging 
back- 

wild- 
id  ex- 
m  us.l 
lation, 
lis  ex- 
trangi 
move- 
ss  and 

ina  in- 
onsist- 
n,  and 
most 
ys  out 
imedi- 
which 
3  per- 
e  Sat- 
in the 
chiefs, 
r  wore 
tivals, 
down 
d  into 
a  bag 
ittered 
fall  of 
>rince. 


It, 


,>■<» 
i* 


who  wtis  dressed  in  a  long  piece  of  yellow  clotl', 
wrapped  loosely  around  him,  and  decorated  with 
small  bells,  uitli  a  cap  on  his  head,  to  whicL'  was 
fastened  a  curious  mask  in  imitation  of  a  wolf's 
head,  while  the  rear  was  brought  up  by  the  king 
himself  in  his  robe  of  sea-otter  skin,  with  a  small 
whistle  in  his  mouth  and  a  rattle  in  his  hand,  with 
which  he  kept  time  to  a  sort  of  tune  on  his  whis- 
tle. After  passing  very  rapidly  in  this  order 
ai'ound  the  house,  each  of  them  seated  himself, 
except  the  prince,  who  immediately  began  his 
dance,  which  principally  consisted  in  springing  up 
into  the  air  in  a  squat  posture,  and  constantly  turn- 
ing around  on  his  heels  with  great  swiftness  in  a 
very  narrow  circle.  This  dance  with  a  few  inter 
vals  of  rest,  was  continued  for  about  two  hours, 
duping  which  the  chiefs  kept  up  a  constant  drum- 
ming with  sticks  of  about  a  foot  in  length  on  a  long 
hollow  plank,  which  was,  though  a  very  noisy,  a 
most  doleful  kind  of  music.  This  th^y  accom- 
panied with  songs,  the  king  himself  acting  as  chor- 
ister, while  the  women  applauded  each  feat  of 
activity  in  the  dancer  by  repeating  the  words,  Wo^ 
cash!  Wocash  Tyee !  ]thai  is  good!  very  good 
prince.  As  soon  as  the  dance  was  fiitished  Maquina 
began  to  give  presents  to  the  strangers  in  the  name 
of  his  son  Sat-sat-sok-sis.  These  were  pieces  of 
European  cloth  generally  of  a  fathom  in  length, 
muskets,  powder,  shot,  &c.  Whenever  he  gave 
them  any  thing,  they  had  a  peculiar  manner  of 
snatching  it  from  him  with  a  very  stern  and  surly 
look,  repeating  each  time  the  words,  ^Vocash  Tyee. 
This  I  understood  to  be  their  custom,  and  was 
considered  as  a  compliment  which  if  omitted  wc^^ld 
be  supposed  as  a  mark  of  disregard  for  the  present. 
On  this  occasion  Maquina  gave  away  no  less  than 


S^y^at>n,m  I'l^U^M^. 


40 


jewitt's  narrative. 


one  hundred  muskets,  the  same  number  of  looking 
glasses,  four  hundred  yards  of  cloth,  and  twenty 
casks  of  powder,  besides  other  things. 
I  After  receiving  these  presents,  the  strangers 
retired  on  board  their  canoes,  for  so  numerous 
were  they  that  Maquina  would  not  suffer  any  but 
the  chiefs  to  sleep  in  the  houses;  and  in  order  to 
prevent  the  property  from  being  pillaged  by  them, 
he  ordered  Thompson  and  myself  to  keep  guard, 
during  the  night,  armed  with  cutlasses  and  pistols. 
In  this  manner  tribes  of  savages  from  various 
pai'ts  of  the  coast,  continued  coming  for  several 
days,  bringing  with  them,  blubber,  oil,  herring 
spawn,  dried  fish  and  clams,  for  which  they  re- 
ceived in  return,  presents  of  cloth,  &c.  after  which 
they  in  general  immediately  returned  home.  I 
observed  that  very  few,  if  any  of  tham,  except  the 
chiefs,  had  arms,  which  I  afterwards  learned  is  the 
custom  with  these  people  whenever  they  come 
upon  a  friendly  visit  or  to  trade,  in  order  to  show, 
on  their  approach,  that  their  intentions  are  pacific. 
j  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  18th  the  ship  was 
discovered  to  be  on  fire.  This  was  owing  to  one 
of  the  savages  having  gone  on  board  with  a  fire 
brand  at  night  for  the  purpose  of  plunder,  some 
sparks  from  which  fell  into  the  hold,  and  com- 
municating with  some  combustibles  soon  enveloped 
the  whole  in  flames.  The  natives  regretted  the 
loss  of  the  ship  the  more  as  a  great  part  of  her 
cargo  still  remained  on  board.  To  my  compan- 
ion and  myself  it  was  a  most  melancholy  sight,  for 
with  her  disappeared  from  our  eyes  every  trace  of 
a  civilized  country;  but  the  disappointment  we  ex- 
perienced was  still  more  severely  felt,  for  we  had 
calculated  on  having  the  provision  to  ourselves, 
which  would  have  furnished  us  with  a  stock  for 


','i 


jewitt's  narrative. 


41 


I 


^•3 


1^. 


years,  as  whatever  is  cured  with  salt,  together  with 
most  of  our  other  articles  of  food,  are  never  eaten 
by  these  people.  I  had  luckily  saved  all  my  tools 
excepting  the  anvil,  and  the  bellows  which  was 
attached  to  the  forge,  and  from  their  weight  had 
not  been  brought  on  shore.  We  had  also  the  good 
fortune  in  looking  over  what  had  been  taken  from 
the  ship  to  discover  a  box  of  chocolate  and  a  case 
of  port  wine,  which  as  the  Indians  were  not  fond 
of  it  proved  a  great  comfort  to  us  for  some  time, 
and  from  one  of  the  natives  I  obtained  a  nautical 
almanack,  which  had  belonged  to  the  Captain,  and 
which  was  of  great  use  to  me  in  determining  the 
time. 

About  two  days  after,  on  examining  their  booty, 
the  savages  found  a  tierce  of  rum  with  which  they 
were  highly  delighted,  as  they  have  become  very 
fond  of  spirituous  liquors  since  their  intercourse 
with  the  whites. — This  was  towards  evening,  and 
Maquina  having  assembled  all  the  men  at  his  house, 
gave  a  feast,  at  which  they  drank  so  freely  of  the 
rum,  that  in  a  short  time,  they  became  so  extreme- 
ly wild  and  frantic  that  Thompson  and  myself, 
apprehensive  for  our  safety,  thought  it  prudent  to 
retire  privately  into  the  woods,  where  we  contin- 
ued till  past  midnight.  On  our  return  we  found 
the  women  gone,  who  are  always  very  temperate, 
drinking  nothing  but  water,  having  quitted  the  house 
and  gone  to  the  other  huts  to  sleep,  so  terrified 
were  they  at  the  conduct  of  the  men,  who  all  lay 
stretched  out  on  the  floor  in  a  state  of  complete 
intoxication.  How  easy  in  this  situation  would  it 
have  been  for  us  to  have  dispatched  or  made  our- 
selves masters  of  our  enemies,  had  there  been  any 
ship  near  to  which  we  could  have  escaped,  but  as 
wfi  were  situated,  the  attempt  would  have  been 

4* 


\ 


42 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I 


madness.  The  wish  of  revenge  was  however 
less  strongly  impressed  on  my  mind,  than  what 
appeared  to  be  so  evident  an  interposition  of  di- 
vine Providence  in  our  favour.  How  little  can 
man  penetrate  its  designs,  and  how  frequently  is 
that  intended  as  a  blessing  which  he  views  as  a 
curse.  The  burning  of  our  ship  which  we  had 
lamented  so  much,  as  depriving  us  of  so  many 
comforts,  now  appeared  to  us  in  a  very  different 
light,  for  had  the  savages  got  possession  of  the 
rum  of  which  there  were  nearly  twenty  puncheons 
on  board,  we  must  inevitably  have  fallen  a  sacri- 
fice to  their  fury  in  some  of  their  moments  of  in- 
toxication. This  cask  fortunately  and  a  case  of 
gin  was  all  the  spirits  they  obtained  from  the  shi  ■ ., 
To  prevent  the  recurrence  of  similar  danger  ,;  , 
amined  the  cask,  and  finding  still  a  considerable 
quantity  remaining,  I  bored  c  small  hale  in  the 
bottom  with  a  gimblet,  which  before  morning  to 
my  great  joy  completely  emptied  it. 

By  this  time  the  wound  in  my  head  began  to  be 
much  better,  so  that  I  could  enjoy  some  sleep, 
which  I  had  been  almost  deprived  of  by  the  pain, 
and  though  I  was  still  feeble  from  the  loss  of  blood 
and  my  sufferings,  I  found  myself  sufficiently  well 
to  go  to  work  at  my  trade,  in  making  for  the  king 
and  his  wives  bracelets  and  other  small  ornaments 
of  copper  or  steel,  and  in  repairing  the  arms,  making 
use  of  a  large  square  stone  for  the  anvil,  and  heat- 
ing my  metal  in  a  common  wood  fire.  This  was 
very  gratifying  to  Maquina  and  his  women  particu- 
larly, and  secured  me  their  good  will. 

In  the  mean  time  great  numbers  from  the  other 
tribes  kept  continually  docking  to  Nootka,  bringing 
with  them  in  exchange  for  the  ship's  plunder  such 
quantities  of  provision,  that  notwithstanding  the 


jewitt's  narrative. 


43 


was 


little  success  that  Maquina  met  with  in  whaling 
this  season,  and  their  gluttonous  waste,  always  eat- 
ing to  excess  when  they  have  it,  regardless  of  the 
morrow,   seldom  did   the  natives  experience  any 
want  of  food  during   the  summer.       As  to  my- 
self and  companion  we  fared  as  they  did,  never 
wanting  for  such   provision  as  they  had,    though 
we  were  obliged  to  eat  it  cooked  in  their  manner 
and  with  train  oil  as  a  sauce,  a  circumstance  not  a 
little  unpleasant,  both  from  their  uncleanly  mode 
of  cooking,  and  many  of  the  articles  of  their  food 
which  to  an  European  are  very  disgusting,  but,  as 
the  saying  is,  hunger  will  break  through  stone  walls, 
and  we  found  at  times  in  the  blubber  of  sea  animals 
and  the  flesh  of  the  dog  fish,  loathsome  as  it  in 
general  was,  a  very  acceptable  repast.      But  much 
oftener  would  poor  Thompson,  who  was  no  favorite 
with  them,  have  suffered  from  hunger  had  it  not  been 
for  my  furnishing  him  with  provision — This  I  was 
enabled  to  do  from  my  work,  Maquina  allowing  me 
the  privilege,  when  not  employed  for  him,  to  work 
for  myself  in  making  bracelets  and  other  orna- 
ments of  copper,  fish-hooks,  daggers,  &c.  either 
to  sell  to  the  tribes  who  visited  us,  or  for  our  own 
chiefs,  who  on  these  occasions,  besides  supplying 
me  with  as  much  as  I  wished  to  eat,  and  a  suffi- 
ciency for  Thompson,  almost  always  made  me  a 
present  of  an  European  garment  taken  from  the 
ship  or  some  fathoms  of  cloth,  which  were  made 
up  by  my  comrade,  and  enabled  us  to  go  com- 
fortably clad  for  some  time,  or  small  bundles  of 
penknives,  razors,  scissors,  &c.  for  one  of  which 
we  could  almost  always  procure  from  the  natives 
two  or  three  fresh  salmon,  cod,   or  halibut;  or 
dried  fish,  clams  and  herring  spawn  from  the  stran- 
ger tribes;  and  had  we  only  been  permitted  to 


44 


jewitt's  narrative. 


cook  them  after  our  own  way,  as  we  had  pots, 
and  other  utensils  belonging  to  the  ship,  we  should 
not  have  had  much  cause  of  complaint  in  this  res- 

Ipect  ;  but  so  tenacious  are  these  people  of  their 
customs,  particularly  in  the  article  of  food  and 
cooking,  that  the  king  always  obliged  me  to  give 
whatever  provisions  I  bought  to  the  women  to 
cook — and  one  day  finding  Thompson  and  myself 
on  the  shore  employed  in  boiling  down  sea-water 
into  salt,  on  being  told  what  it  was,  he  was  very 
much  displeased,  and  taking  the  little  we  had  pro- 
cured, threw  it  into  the  sea.  In  one  instance 
alone,  as  a  particular  favor,  he  allowed  me  to  boil 
some  sa'  "iOn  in  my  own  way,  when  I  invited  him 
and  his  qi.  to  eat  with  me;  they  tasted  it,  but 
did  not  like  u,  and  made  their  meal  of  some  of  it 
that  I  had  cooked  in  their  country  fashion. 

In  May,  the  weather  became  uncommonly 
mild  and  pleasant,  and  so  forward  was  vegetation 
that  I  picked  a  plenty  of  strawberries  by  the  mid- 
dle of  the  month.  Of  this  fruit  there  are  great 
quantities  on  this  coast,  and  I  found  them  a  most 
delicious  treat. — My  health  had  now  become  almost 
re-established,  my  wound  being  so  far  healed  that 
it  gave  me  no  farther  trouble.  I  had  never  failed 
to  wash  it  regularly  once  a  day  in  sea  water,  and 
to  dress  it  with  a  fresh  leaf  of  tobacco,  which  I 
obtained  from  the  natives,  who  had  taken  it  from 
the  ship,  but  made  no  use  of  it.  This  was  all  the 
dressing  I  gave  it,  except  applying  to  it  two  or 
three  times,  a  little  loaf  sugar,  which  Maquina  gave 
me,  in  order  to  remove  some  proud  flesh  which 
prevented  it  from  closing.  My  cure  would  doubt- 
less have  been  much  sooner  effected  had  I  have 
been  in  a  civilized  country,  where  I  could  have 
had  it  dressed  by  a  surgeon  and  properly  attended 


t 


iM^m" 


jewitt's  narrative. 


45 


to.  But  alas!  I  had  no  good  Samaritan  with  oil 
and  wine  to  bind  up  my  wounds,  and  fortunate 
might  I  even  esteem  myself,  that  I  was  permitted 
to  dress  it  myself,  for  the  utmost  that  I  could 
expect  from  the  natives  was  compassion  for 
my  misfortune,  which  I  indeed  experienced  from 
the  women,  particularly  the  queen,  or  favorite  wife 
of  Maquina,  the  mother  of  Sat-sat-sox-sis,  who 
used  frequently  to  point  to  my  head  and  mani- 
fest much  kindness  and  solicitude  for  me.  I  must 
do  Maquina  the  justice  to  acknowledge  that  he  al- 
ways appeared  desirous  of  sparing  me  any  labour 
which  he  believed  might  be  hurtful  to  me,  frequently 
enquiring  in  an  aftectionsite  manner,  if  my  head  pain- 
ed me.  As  for  the  others,  some  of  the  chiefs  ex- 
cepted, they  cared  little  what  became  of  me,  and 
probably  would  have  been  gratified  with  my  death. 
My  health  being  at  length  re-established  and  my 
wound  healed,  Thompson  became  very  importu- 
nate for  me  to  begin  my  journal,  and  as  I  had  no 
ink,  proposed  to  cut  his  finger  to  supply  me  with 
blood  for  the  purpose  whenever  I  should  want  it. 
On  the  first  of  June  I  accordingly  commenced  a 
regular  diary,  but  had  no  occasion  to  make  use  of 
the  expedient  suggested  by  my  comrade,  having 
found  a  much  better  substitute  in  the  expressed 
juice  of  a  certain  plant,  which  furnished  me  with  a 
bright  green  colour,  and  after  making  a  number  of 
trials  I  at  length  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  very  tole- 
rable ink,  by  boiling  the  juice  of  the  black-berry 
with  a  mixture  of  finely  powdered  charcoal  and 
filtering  it  through  a  cloth.  This  I  afterwards  pre- 
served in  bottles  and  found  it  answer  very  well, 
so  true  is  it  that  "  necessity  is  the  mother  of  in- 
vention.** As  for  quills  I  found  no  difliculty  in 
procuring  them,   whenever  I    wanted,  from  the 


y 


46 


jewitt's  narrative. 


/ 


crows  and  ravens  with  which  the  beach  was  almost 
always  covered,  attracted  by  the  offal  of  whales, 
seals,  &c.  and  which  were  so  tame  that  I  could 
easily  kill  them  with  stones,  while  a  large  clam 
shell  furnished  me  with  an  ink  stand. 

The  extreme  solicitude  of  Thompson  that  I 
should  begin  my  journal,  might  be  considered  as 
singular  in  a  man,  who  neither  knew  how  to  write 
or  read,  a  circumstance  by  the  way,  very  uncom- 
mon in  an  American,  were  we  less  acquainted  with 
the  force  of  habit,  he  having  been  for  many  years 
at  sea,  and  accustomed  to  consider  the  keeping  of 
/  a  journal  as  a  thing  indispensable.  This  man  was 
born  in  Philar<elphia,  and  at  eight  years  old  ran 
away  from  his  friends,  and  entered  as  a  cabin  boy 
on  board  a  ship  bound  to  London;  on  his  arrival 
there  finding  himself  in  distress,  he  engaged  as  an 
apprentice  to  the  captain  of  a  Collier,  from  whence 
he  was  impressed  on  board  an  Englishman  of  war, 
and  continued  in  the  British  naval  service  about 
twenty-seven  years,  during  which  he  was  present 
at  the  engagement  under  Lord  Howe  with  the 
^  French  fleet  in  June,  1794,  and  when  peace  was 
made  between  England  and  France  was  discharged. 
He  was  a  very  strong  and  powerful  man,  an  ex- 
.  perl'fioxer,  and  perfectly  fearless;  indeed  so  little 
was  his  dread  of  danger,  that  when  irritated  he 
was  wholly  regardless  of  his  life.  Of  this  the  fol- 
lowing will  furnish  a  sufficient  proof. 

One  evening  about  the  middle  of  April,  as  I 
"was  at  the  house  of  one  of  the  chiefs,  where  I  had 
been  employed  on  some  work  for  him,  word  was 
brought  me  that  Maquina  was  going  to  kill  Thomp- 
son. I  immediately  hurried  home,  where  I  found 
the  king  in  the  act  of  presenting  a  loaded  musket 
at  Thompsc^,  who  was  star;«':rig  before  him  with 


>  -is 


* 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


47 


his  breast  bared  and  calling  on  him  to  fire.  I  in- 
stantly stepped  up  to  Maquina,  who  was  foaming 
with  rage,  and  addressing  him  in  soothing  words, 
begged  him  for  my  sake  not  to  kill  my  father,  and 
at  length  succeeded  in  taking  the  musket  from  him 
and  persuading  him  to  sit  down.  On  enquiring 
into  the  cause  of  his  anger,  I  learned  that  while 
Thompson  was  lighting  the  lamps  in  the  king's 
room,  Maquina  having  substituted  our's  for  their 
pine  torches,  some  of  the  boys  began  to  teaze  him, 
running  around  him  and  pulling  him  by  the  trow- 
sers,  among  the  most  forward  of  whom  was  the 
young  prince.  This  caused  Thompson  to  spill 
the  oil,  which  threw  him  into  such  a  passion,  that 
without  caring  what  he  did  5  he  struck  the  prince 
so  violent  a  blow  in  his  face  with  his  fist  as  to 
knock  him  down.  The  sensation  excited  among 
the  savages  by  an  act,  which  was  considered  as 
the  highest  indignity,  and  a  profanation  of  the  sa-^ 
cred  person  of  majesty  may  be  easily  conceived^ 
The  king  was  immediately  acquainted  with  it,  who, 
on  coming  in  and  seeing  his  son's  face  covered 
with  blood,  seized  a  musket  and  began  to  load  it, 
determined  to  take  instant  revenge  on  the  auda- 
cious offender;  and  had  I  arrived  a  few  minutes 
later  than  I  did,  my  companion  would  certainly 
have  paid  with  his  hfe  for  his  rash  and  violent  con- 
duct. I  found  the  utmost  difficulty  in  pacifying 
Maquina,  who  for  a  long  time  after  could  not  for- 
give Thompson,  but  would  repeatedly  say,  "  Jolm, 
you  die — Thompson  kill." — But  to  appease  die 
king  was  not  all  that  was  necessary.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  insult  offered  to  their  prince,  the 
whole  tribe  held  a  council,  in  which  it  was  unani- 
mously resolved  that  Thompson  should  be  put  to 
j__.u  -•_  .u.  j^^g^  cruel  manner.     I  however  inter- 


f 


...  K'J 


i.  ^A.  *j»^-. 


-•*-w .  f"  {■iA 


Ct 


I  \ 

I 


■  (L 


Vv<^Vv  f-  f      V  /C£«  fp  x:.XtC*. 


\ 


->C3  .k-t^ 


i 


^t^Vj^  J.  ( 


It-o^ 


U  I- 


J^'-^'tc. 


«  *.  -» -fc-*^/ .  Jy  i,-P<r  A  • 


"j     fVv*<-v^i^ 


i£X.-j?.i*-^A^.'3  W'i.-*^^ 


48 


jewitt's  narrative. 


ceded  so  strenuously  with  Maquina,  for  his  life, 
telling  him  that  if  my  father  was  killed,  I  was  de- 
termined not  to  survive  him,  that  he  refused  to 
deliver  him  up  to  the  vengeance  of  his  people, 
saying,  that  for  John's  sake  they  must  consent  to 
let  him  live.  The  prince,  who,  after  I  had  suc- 
ceeded in  calming  his  father,  gave  me  an  account 
of  what  had  happened,  told  me  that  it  was  wholly 
out  of  regard  to  me,  as  Thompson  was  my  father, 
that  his  life  had  been  spared,  for  that  if  any  one 
of  the  tribe  should  dare  to  lift  a  hand  against  him 
in  anger,  he  would  most  certainly  be  put  to  death. 
Yet  even  this  narrow  escape  produced  not  much 
effect  on  Thompson,  or  induced  him  to  restrain 
the  violence  of  his  temper.  For  not  many  weeks 
after,  he  was  guilty  of  a  similar  indiscretion,  in 
striking  the  eldest  son  of  a  chief,  who  was  about 
eighteen  years  old,  and  according  to  their  custom 
^vas  considered  as  a  Tyee,  or  chief  himself,  in 
consequence  of  his  having  provoked  him  by  call- 
ing him  a  white  slave.  This  affair  caused  great 
commotion  in  the  village,  and  the  tribe  was  very 
clamorous  for  his  death,  but  Maquina  would  not 
consent.  I  used  frequently  to  remonstrate  with 
him  on  the  imprudence  of  his  conduct  and  beg 
Iiim  to  govern  his  temper  better,  telling  him,  it 
was  our  duty,  since  our  lives  were  in  the  power  of 
these  savages,  to  do  nothing  to  exasperate  them. 
But  all  I  could  say  on  this  point  availed  little,  for 
so  bitter  was  the  hate  he  felt  for  them,  which  he 
was  no  way  backward  in  manifesting  both  by  his 
looks  and  actions,  that  he  declared  he  never  would 
submit  to  their  insults,  and  that  he  had  much 
rather  be  killed  than  be  obliged  to  live  among 
them,  adding  that  he  only  wished  he  had  a  good 
vessel  and  some  guns,  and  he  would  destroy  the 

.     *r    ,- 
•  -V  J^ 


4, 


m. 


n 


JEVVITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


49 


;'iS. 


whole  of  the  cursed  race;  for  to  a  brave  sailor  like 
him,  who  had  fought  the  French  and  Spaniards 
with  glory,  it  was  a  punishment  worse  than  death 
to  be  a  slave  to  such  a  poor,  ignorant,  despicable 
set  of  beings. 

As  for  myself  I  thought  very  differently.  After 
returning  thanks  to  that  mercitul  Being  who  had  in 
so  wonderful  a  manner  softened  the  hearts  of  the 
savages  in  my  favour,  I  had  determined  from  the 
first  of  my  capture  to  adopt  a  conciliating  conduct 
towards  them,  and  conform  myself,  as  far  as  was 
in  my  power,  to  their  customs  and  mode  of  think- 
ing, trusting  that  the  same  divine  goodness  that 
had  rescued  me  from  death,  would  not  always  suf- 
fer me  to  languish  in  captivity  am.ong  these  hea- 
then. With  this  view  I  sought  to  gain  their  good 
will  by  always  endeavouring  to  assume  a  cheerful 
countenance,  appearing  pleased  with  their  sports 
and  buffoon  tricks,  making  little  ornaments  for  the 
wives  and  children  of  the  chiefs,  by  which  means 
I  became  quite  a  favorite  with  them,  and  fish 
hooks,  daggers,  &c.  for  themselves.  As  a  farther 
recommendation  to  their  favour,  and  what  might 
eventually  prove  of  the  utmost  importance  to  us,  I 
resolved  to  learn  their  language,  which  in  tlie 
course  of  a  few  months  residence,  I  so  far  suc- 
ceeded in  acquiring,  as  to  be  able  hi  general  to 
make  myself  well  understood.  I  likewise  tried  to 
persuade  Thompson  to  learn  it  as  what  might  prove 
necessary  to  him.  But  he  refused,  saying,  that 
he  hated  both  them  and  their  cursed  lingo,  and 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

By  pursuing  this  conciliatory  plan,  so  far  did  I 
gain  the  good  will  of  the  savages,  particularly  the 
chiefs,  that  I  scarcely  ever  frilled  experiencing  kind 
treatment  ti-cm  them,  and  was    received  with  a 


-'V^ 


V 


0 


1 


'•\ 


kb,]\ 


n 


50. 


jewitt's  narrative. 


smile  of  welcome  at  their  houses,  where  I  was 
always  sure  of  having  something  given  me  to  eat, 
whenever  they  had  it,  and  many  a  £i;ood  meal  have 
I  had  from  them,  when  they  themselves  wore  short 
of  provisions  and  siiircring  for  the  want  of  them. 
And  it  was  a  common  practice  with  me  vviien  we 
had  nothing  to  eat  at  home  which  Iiappened  not 
unfrequently  during  my  stay  among  them,  to  go 
around  the  village,  and  on  noticing  a  smoke  from 
any  of  the  houses,  which  denoted  that  they  were 
cooking,  enter  in  without  ceremony  and  ask  them 
for  something,  which  I  was  never  refused.  Few 
nations  mdeed,  are  tliere,  so  very  rude  and  unfeel- 
ing, whom  constant  inild  treatment  and  an  attention 
to  please,  will  not  mollify  and  obtain  from  them 
some  return  of  kind  attention.  This,  the  treat- 
ment I  received  from  these  people  may  exemplify, 
for  not  numerous,  even  among  those  calling  them- 
selves civilized,  are  there  instances  to  be  found  of 
persons  depriving  themselves  of  food  to  give  it  to 
a  stranger,  whatever  may  be  his  merits. 

It  may  perhaps  be  as  well  in  this  place  to  give 
a  description  of  Nootka,  some  accounts  of  the 
tribes  who  were  accustomed  to  visit  us,  and  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  people,  as  far  as  I 
hitherto  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  them. 

The  village  of  Nootka,  is  situated  in  between 
49  and  50  deg.  N.  lat.  at  the  bottom  of  Friendly 
Cove,  on  the  West  or  North  West  side.  It  con- 
sists of  about  twenty  houses  or  huts,  on  a  small 
hill  which  rises  with  a  gentle  ascent  from  the  shore. 
Friendly  Cove  which  affords  good  and  secure  an- 
chorage for  ships  close  in  with  the  shore  is  a  small 
harbour  of  not  more  than  a  quarter  or  half  a  mile 
ui  ^ength,  and  about  half  a  mile  or  three  quarters 
broau,  formed  by  the  line  of  coast  on  the  East, 


i 


■4 


jewitt's  narrative. 


61 


and  a  Ions;  point,  or  headland  which  extends  as 
much  as  three  leagues  into  the  sound  in  nearly  a 
Westerly  direriion.  This  as  well  as  I  can  judge 
from  what  I  have  seen  of  it,  is  in  gei:eral  from  one 
to  two  niilL's  in  hreadth,  and  mostly  a  rocky  and 
unproductive  soil  with  but  few  trees.  The  East- 
ern and  Western  shores  of  this  harbour  are  steep, 
and  in  many  parts  rocky,  the  trees  growing  quite 
to  the  water's  edge,  but  the  bottom  to  the  North 
and  North- West  is  a  fine  sandy  beach  of  half  a 
mile  or  more  in  extent.  From  the  village  to  the 
North  and  Norih-East  extends  a  plain,  the  soil  of 
which  is  very  excellent,  and  with  proper  cultiva- 
tion may  be  made  to  pr«  duce  almost  any  of  our 
European  vegetables;  this  is  but  little  more  than 
half  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  is  terminated  by  the  sea 
coast,  which  in  this  place  is  lined  with  rocks  and 
reefs  and  cannot  be  approached  by  ships.  The 
coast  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Nootka  is  in  gene- 
ral low  and  but  little  broken  into  hills  and  vallies. 
The  soil  is  good,  well  covered  with  fine  forests  of 
pine,  spruce,  beach  and  other  trees,  and  abounds 
with  streams  of  the  finest  water,  the  general  ap- 
pearance being  the  same  for  many  miles  round. 

The  village  is  situated  on  the  ground  occu})ied 
by  the  Spaniards,  when  they  kept  a  garrison  here; 
the  foundations  of  the  church  and  the  governor's 
house  are  yet  visible,  and  a  few  European  plants 
are  still  to  be  found,  which  continue  to  be  self- 
propagated,  such  as  onions,  peas,  ^nd  turnips,  but 
the  two  last  are  quite  small,  particularly  the  tur- 
nips, which  afford  us  nothing  but  the  tops  for  eat- 
ing. Their  former  village  stood  on  the  same  spot, 
but  the  Spaniards  finding  it  a  commodious  situa- 
tion, demolished  the  houses  and  forced  the  inhab- 
itants to  retire  five  or  six  miles  into  the  country. 


53 


jewitt's  narrative. 


With  great  sorrow,  as  Maquina  told  me,  did  they 
find  themselves  compelled  to  quit  their  ancient 
place  of  residence,  but  with  equal  joy  did  they 
repossess  themselves  of  it  when  the  Spanish  gai'ri- 
son  was  expelled  hy  the  English. 

The  houses  as  I  have  observed  are  above  twen- 
ty in  number,  built  nearly  in  a  line.  These  are 
of  dilFerent  sizes  according  to  the  rank  or  quality 
of  the  Tyee^  or  chief,  who  lives  in  them,  each 
having  one,  of  which  he  is  considered  as  the  lord. 
They  vary  not  much  in  width,  being  usually  from 
thirty-six  to  forty  foot  wide,  but  are  of  very  differ- 
ent lengths,  that  of  the  king  which  is  much  the 
longest  being  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
while  the  smallest  which  contain  9nly  two  families 
do  not  exceed  forty  feet  in  lengdi,  the  house  of 
tlie  king  is  also  distinguished  from  the  others  by 
being  higher. 

Their  method  of  building,  is  as  follows,  '  iy 
erect  in  the  ground  two  very  large  posts  at  si  a 
distance  apart  as  is  intended  for  the  length  of  the 
house.  On  these,  which  are  of  equal  height,  and 
hollowed  out  at  the  upper  end,  they  lay  a  large 
spar  for  the  ridgepole  of  the  building,  or  if  the 
length  of  the  house  requires  it,  two  or  more,  sup- 
porting their  ends  by  similar  upright  posts;  these 
spars  are  sometimes  of  an  almost  incredible  size, 
having  myself  measured  one  in  Maquina's  house 
which  I  found  to  be  one  hundred  feet  long  and 
eight  feet  four  inches  in  circumference.  At  equal 
distances  from  these  two  posts  two  others  are 
placed  on  each  side,  to  form  the  width  of  the 
building;  these  are  rather  shorter  than  the  first, 
and  on  them  are  laid  in  like  manner  spars,  but  of 
a  smaller  size,  having  the  upper  part  hewed  flat, 
with  a  narrow  ridge  on  the  outer  side  to  support 


I 


II 


•i 


^ 


t     )Wi 


v^. 


\ 


HI 


jewitt's  narrative. 


53 


i 


» 


I 


•/ 


the  ends  of  tlu3  planks.  Tlio  roof  is  formed  of  ' 
pine  phiiiks  with  a  broad  feather  edge,  so  as  to  lap 
well  over  each  oilier,  which  are  laid  lengthwise 
from  the  riilp4)ole  in  the  centre,  to  the  beams  at 
the  sides,  alur  which  the  top  is  covered  with 
planks  of  oiu;ht  feet  broad,  which  form  a  kind  of  « 
coveriiiLi;  piojoctiiig  so  far  over  the  ends  of  the 
planks,  that  Ibnn  the  roof,  as  completely  to  ex- 
clude the  rain.  On  these  they  lay  large  stones  to 
prev(3iit  ilieir  being  displaced  by  the  wiiid.  The 
ends  of  the  planks  are  not  secured  to  the  beams  on 
which  they  are  laid  by  any  fastening,  so  that  in  a 
high  stonn  I  have  often  known  all  the  men  obliged  ^ 
to  turn  out  and  go  upon  the  roof  to  prevent  them 
from  being  blown  off,  carrying  large  stones  and 
pieces  of  rock  with  them  to  secure  the  boards,  al- 
ways sti  ipping  themselves  naked  on  these  occasions 
whatever  may  be  the  severity  of  the  weather,  to 
prevent  their  garments  from  being  wet  and  mud- 
died, as  these  storms  are  almost  always  accompa- 
nied with  heavy  rains.  The  sides  of  their  houses 
are  much  more  open  and  exposed  to  the  weather, 
this  proceeds  from  their  not  being  so  easily  made 
close  as  the  roof,  being  built  with  planks  of  about 
ten  feet  long  and  four  or  five  wide,  which  they 
place  between  stancheons  or  small  posts  of  the 
height  of  the  roof,  of  these  there  are  four  to  each 
range  of  boards,  two  at  each  end  and  so  near  each 
other  as  to  leave  space  enough  for  admitting  a 
plank.  The  planks  or  boards  which  they  make 
use  of  for  building  their  houses,  and  for  other  uses, 
they  procure  of  different  lengths  as  occasion  re- 
quires, by  splitting  them  out,  with  hard  wooden 
wedges  from  pine  logs,  and  afterwards  dubbing 
them  down  with  their  chizzels,  with  much  patience, 


64 


jewitt's  narrative. 


n 


to    the    thickness  wanted,  rendering    them  quite 
smooth. 

*  There  is  but  one  entrance;  this  is  placed  usual- 
ly at  the  end,  though  sometimes  in  the  middle  as 
was  that  of  Maquina's.  Through  tlie  middle  of 
the  building  from  one  end  to  the  other,  runs  a 
passage  of  about  eight  or  nine  feet  broad,  on  each 
side  of  which,  the  several  families  that  occupy  it, 
live,  each  having  its  particular  fire-place,  but  with- 
out any  kind  of  wall  or  separation  to  mark  their 
respective  limits;  the  chief  having  his  r.partment 
at  the  upper  end,  and  the  next  in  rank  opposite  on 
the  other  side.  They  have  no  other  floor  than 
the  ground;  the  fire-place  or  hearth  consists  of  a 
number  of  stones  loosely  put  together,  but  they 
are  wholly  without  a  chimney,  nor  is  there  any 
opening  left  in  the  roof,  but  whenever  a  fire  is 
made,  the  plank  immediately  over  it  is  thrust  aside, 
by  means  of  a  pole,  to  give  vent  to  the  smoke. 
The  height  of  the  houses  in  general,  from  the 
c,round  to  the  centre  of  the  roof  does  not  exceed 
ten  feet,  that  of  Maquina's  was  not  far  from  four- 
teen; the  spar  forming  the  ridgepole  of  the  latter 
was  painted  in  red  and  black,  circles  alternately  by 
way  of  ornament,  and  the  large  posts  that  support- 
ed it  had  their  tops  curiously  wrought  or  carved, 
so  as  to  represent  human  heads  of  a  monstrous  size, 
which  were  painted  in  their  manner.  These  were 
not,  however,  considered  as  objects  of  adoration, 
but  merely  as  ornaments. 

The  furniture  of  these  people  is  very  simple, 
and  consists  only  of  boxes  in  which  they  put  their 
clothes,  furs,  and  such  things  as  they  hold  most  val- 
uable; tubs  for  keeping  their  provision  of  spawn  and 
blubber  in;  trays  from  which  they  eat;  baskets  for 


-1 


l\f 


jewitt's  narrative. 


55 


'/ 


their  dried  fish  and  other  purposes,  and  bags  made 
of  bark  matting,  of  which  they  also  make  their 
beds,  spreading  a  piece  of  it  upon  the  g-  md  when 
they  lie  down,  and  using  no  other  beu  covering 
than  their  garments.  The  boxes  P'  3of  pine,  with 
a  top  thiit  shuts  over,  and  instead  o^  r.ai)s  or  pegs 
are  fastened  with  flexible  twigs,  they  are  extreme- 
ly smooth  and  high  polished,  and  sometimes  orna- 
mented with  rows  of  very  small  white  shells. 
The  tubs  are  of  a  square  form,  secured  in  the  like 
manner,  and  of  various  sizes,  some  being  extreme- 
ly large,  having  seen  them  that  were  six  feet  long 
by  four  broad  and  five  deep.  The  Trays  are  hol- 
lowed out  with  their  chizzels  from  a  solid  block  of 
wood,  and  the  baskets  and  mats  are  made  from  the 
bark  of  trees.  From  this  they  likewise  make  the 
cloth  for  their  garments,  in  the  following  manner. 
A  quantity  of  this  bark  is  taken  and  put  into  fresh 
water  where  it  is  kept  for  a  fortnight  to  give  it 
time  to  completely  soften;  it  is  then  taken  out  and  f 
beaten  upon  a  plank,  with  an  instrument  made  of 
bone  or  some  very  hard  wood,  having  grooves  or 
hollows  on  one  side  of  it,  care  being  taken  to  keep 
the  mass  constantly  moistened  with  water,  in  order 
to  separate  with  more  ease  the  hard  and  woody 
from  the  soft  and  fibrous  parts,  which,  when  com- 
pleted, they  parcel  out  into  skeins,  like  thread. 
These  they  lay  in  the  air  to  bleach,  and  afterwards 
dye  them  black  or  red  as  suits  their  fancies,  their 
natural  colour  being  a  paie  yellow.  In  order  to 
form  the  cloth,  the  women  by  whom  the  whole  of 
this  process  is  performed,  take  a  certain  number  of 
these  skeins  and  twist  them  together  by  rolling 
them  with  their  hands  upon  their  knees,  into  hard 
rolls,  which  are  afterwards  connected  by  means  of 
a  strong  thread  made  for  the  purpose. 


« 


56 


jewitt's  narrative. 


*"  Their  dress  usually  consists  of  but  a  single  gar- 
menty  which  is  a  loose  cloak  or  mantle  (called 
Kutsack)  in  one  piece,  reaching  nearly  to  the  feet. 
This  is  tied  loosely  over  the  right  or  left  shoulder 
so  as  to  leave  the  arms  at  full  liberty. 

Those  of  the  common  people  are  painted  red 
with  ochre  the  better  to  keep  out  the  rain,  but  the 
chiefs  wear  them  of  their  native  colour,  which  is 
a  pale  yellow,  ornamenting  them  with  borders  of 
the  sea  otter  skin,  a  kind  of  grey  cloth  made  of 
the  hair  of  some  animal  which  they  procure  from 
the  tribes  to  the  South,  or  their  own  cloth  wrought 
or  painted  with  various  figures  in  red  or  black, 
representing  men's  heads,  the  sun  and  moon,  fish 
and  animals,  which  are  frequently  executed  with 
much  skill.  They  have  also  a  girdle  of  the  same 
kind  for  secunng  this  mantle,  or  Kutsack,  around 
ihem,  which  is  in  general  still  more  highly  oma- 
m^jrited,  and  serves  them  to  v/ear  their  daggers  and 
knives  in.  In  winter  however,  they  sometimes 
make  use  of  an  additional  garment,  which  is  a  kind 
of  hood,  with  a  hole  in  it  for  the  purpose  of  ad- 
mitting the  head,  and  falls  over  the  breast  and  back 
as  low  as  the  shoulders;  this  is  bordered  both  at 
top  and  bottom  with  fur,  and  is  never  worn  except 
when  they  go  out.  The  garments  of  the  women 
v^ary  not  essentially  from  those  of  the  men,  th^ 
mantle  having  holes  in  it  for  the  purpose  of  admit 
ting  the  inns,  and  being  tied  close  under  the  ch'n, 
instead  cf  over  the  shoulder.  The  chiefs  have 
also  rr unties  of  the  sea  otter  skin,  but  these  are 
only  put  on  upon  extraordinary  occasions,  and  one 
that  is  made  from  the  skin  of  a  certain  large  ani- 
mal, which  is  brought  from  the  South  by  the 
Wickanninish  and  Kla-iz-zarts.  This  they  pre- 
pare by  dressing  it  in  wai-m  water,   scraping  off 


^ 

^ 


i 


m 


m 


^ 


I 


jewitt's  narrative. 


57 


n, 


h 


•I 


I- 


#«£» 


r 
I 


the  hair  and  what  flesh  adheres  to  it  carefully  with 
sharp  muscle  shells,  and  spreading  it  out  in  the 
sun  lo  dry,  on  a  wooden  frame,  so  as  to  preserve 
the  shape.  When  dressed  in  this  manner  it  be- 
comes perfectly  white  and  as  pliable  as-  the  best 
deer's  leather,  but  almost  as  thick  again.  They 
tlien  paint  it  in  differeiit  figures  with  such  paints  as 
they  usually  employ  in  decorating  their  persons: 
these  figures  mostly  represent  human  heads,  canoes 
employed  in  catching  whales,  &c.  This  skin  is 
called  Metamelth  and  is  probably  got  from  an  ani- 
mal of  the  moose  kind,  it  is  highly  prized  by  these 
people,  is  their  great  war  dress,  and  only  worn 
when  they  wish  to  make  the  best  possible  display 
of  themselves.  Strips  or  bands  of  it,  painted*  as 
above,  are  also  sometimes  used  by  them  for  gir- 
dles or  the  bordering  of  their  cloaks,  and  also  for 
bracelets  and  ancle  ornaments  by  some  of  the  infe- 
rior class. 

On  their  heads  when  they  go  out  upon  any  ex- 
cursion, particularly  whaling  or  fishing,  they  wear 
a  kind  of  cap  or  bonne'  in  form  not  unlike  a  large 
sugar  loaf  with  the  top  cut  o(F.  This  is  mado  of 
the  same  materials  with  their  cloth,  but  is  in  g  :ner- 
al  of  a  closer  texture  and  by  way  of  tas.  1  has  a 
long  strip  of  the  skin  of  the  Metamelth  attacli  mI  to 
it,  covered  with  rows  of  small  white  shells  or 
beads.  Tho§e  worn  by  the  common  peo[)le  are 
painted  entirely  red,  the  chiefs  having  thnirs  of 
different  colours.  The  one  worn  by  ih-  1  jg  and 
which  serves  to  designate  him  from  all  tiie  others, 
is  longer  and  broader  at  the  bottom;  the  top,  in 
stead  of  being  flat,  having  upon  it  an  ornament  in 
the  figure  of  a  small  urn.  It  is  also  of  a  much 
finer  texture  than  the  others  and  plaited  or  wrought 
in  black  and  white  stripes  with  the  representation 


68 


jewitt's  narrative. 


^ 


in  front  of  a  canoe  in  pursuit  of  a  whale  with  the 
harpooner  standing  in  the  prow  prepared  to  strike. 
This  bonnet  is  called  Seeya-poks. 

Their  mode  of  living  is  very  simple — their  food 
consisting  almost  wholly  of  fish,  or  fish  spawn  fresh 
or  dried,  the  blubber  of  the  whale,  seal,  or  sea-cow, 
muscles,  clams,  and  berries  of  various  kinds;  all 
of  which  are  eaten  with  a  profusion  of  train  oil  for 
sauce,  not  excepting  even  the  most  delicate  fruit, 
as  strawberries  and  raspberries.  With  so  little 
variety  in  their  food,  no  great  can  be  expected,  in 
their  cookery.  Of  this,  indeed,  they  may  be  said 
to  know  but  two  mediods,  viz.  by  boiling  and  steam- 
ing, and  even  the  latter  is  not  very  frequently  prac- 
tised by  them.  Their  mode  of  boiling  is  as  follows: 
into  one  of  their  tubs,  they  pour  water  sufficient 
to  cook  the  quantity  of  provision  wanted.  A  num- 
ber of  heated  stones  are  then  put  in  to  make  it  boil, 
when  the  salmon  or  other  fish  are  put  in  without 
any  other  preparation  than  sometimes  cutting  off 
the  heaiis,  tails  and  fins,  the  boihng  in  the  mean 
time  being  kept  up  by  the  application  of  the  hot 
stones,  after  which  it  is  left  to  cook  until  the  whole 
is  nearly  reduced  to  one  mass.  It  is  then  taken 
out  and  distributed  in  the  trays.  In  a  similar  man- 
ner they  cook  their  bkibber  and  spawn,  smoked  or 
dried  fish,  and  in  fine,  .'ilmost  everything  tlieyeat, 
nothing  going  down  wi'Ji  them  like  broth. 

Wlien  they  cook  their  fish  by  steam,  which  are 
usually  the  heads,  tails,  and  fins  of  the  salmon,  cod 
and  halibut,  a  large  fire  is  kindled,  upon  which 
they  place  a  bed  of  stones,  which,  when  the  wood 
is  burnt  down,  becomes  perfectly  heated.  Lay- 
ers of  green  leaves  or  pine  boughs,  are  then  plac- 
ed upon  the  stones,  and  the  fish,  clams,  &c.  being 
•aid  upon  them,  water  is  poured  over  them,  and 


):l 


jewitt's  narrative. 


59 


all 


? 


i?v 


the  whole  closely  covered  with  mats  to  keep  in 
the  steam.  This  is  much  the  best  mode  of  cook- 
ing, and  clams  and  muscles  done  in  this  manner, 
are  really  excellent.  These,  as  I  have  said,  may 
be  considered  as  their  only  kinds  of  cookery; 
though  I  have  in  a  very  few  instances  known  them 
dress  the  roe  or  spawn  of  the  salmon  and  the  her- 
ring, when  first  taken,  in  a  different  manner;  this 
was  by  roasting  them,  the  former  being  supported 
between  two  split  pieces  of  pine,  and  the  other 
having  a  sharp  stick  run  through  it,  with  one  end 
fixed  in  the  ground;  sprats  are  also  roasted  by  them 
in  this  way,  a  number  being  spitted  on  one  stick; 
and  this  kind  of  food,  with  a  little  salt,  would  be 
found  no  contemptible  eating  even  to  a  European. 
At  their  meals  they  seat  themselves  upon  the 
ground,  with  their  feet  curled  up  under  them, 
around  their  trays,  which  are  generally  about  three 
feet  long  by  one  board,  and  from  six  to  eight  inch- 
es deep.  In  eating  they  make  use  of  nothing  but 
their  fingers,  except  for  the  soup  or  oil,  which 
they  lade  out  with  clam  shells.  Around  one  of 
these  trays,  from  four  to  six  persons  will  seat 
themselves,  constantly  dipping  in  their  fingers  or 
clam  shells,  one  after  the  other. — The  king  and 
chiefs  alone  have  separate  trays,  from  which  no 
one  is  permitted  to  eat  with  them,  except  the  queen, 
or  principal  wife  of  the  chief,  and  whenever  the 
king  or  one  of  the  chiefs  wishes  to  distinguish  any 
of  his  people  with  a  special  mark  of  favour  on 
these  occasions,  he  calls  him  and  gives  him  some 
of  the  choice  bits  from  his  tray.  The  slaves  eat 
at  the  same  time,  and  of  the  same  provisions,  far- 
ing in  this  respect  as  well  as  their  masters,  being 
seated  with  the  family  and  only  feeding  from  sep- 
arate trays.     Whenever  a  feast  is  given  by  the 


50 


jewitt's  narratite. 


I 


p 


king  or  any  of  the  chiefs,  there  is  a  person  who 
acts  as  a  master  of  ceremonies,  and  whose  busi- 
ness it  is  to  receive  the  guests  as  they  enter  the 
house  and  point  out  to  them  their  respective  seats, 
which  is  regulated  with  great  punctihousness  as  re- 
gards rank;  the  king  occupying  the  highest  or  the 
seat  of  honour,  his  son  or  brother  sitting  next  him, 
and  so  on  with  the  chiefs  according  to  their  quali- 
ty; the  private  persons  belonging  to  the  same  fami- 
ly being  always  placed  together  to  prevent  any 
confusion.  The  women  are  seldom  invited  to 
their  feasts,  and  only  at  those  times  when  a  gener- 
al invitation  is  given  to  the  village. 

As  whenever  they  cook,  they  always  calculate 
to  have  an  abundance  for  all  the  guests,  a  profusion 
in  this  respect  being  considered  as  the  highest  luxu- 
ry, much  more  is  usually  set  before  them  than  they 
can  eat.  That  which  is  left  in  the  king's  tray  he 
sends  to  his  house  for  his  family,  by  one  of  his 
slaves,  as  do  the  chiefs  theirs,  while  those  who  eat 
from  the  same  tray  and  who  generally  belong  to 
the  same  family,  take  it  home  as  common  stock, 
or  each  one  receives  his  portion,  which  is  distribut- 
ed on  thc>  spot.  This  custom  appeared  very  singu- 
lar to  my  companion  and  myself,  and  it  was  a  most 
awkward  thing  for  us  at  first,  to  have  to  lug  home 
with  us,  in  ojr  hands  or  arms,  the  blubber  or  fish 
that  we  received  at  these  times;  but  we  soon  be- 
came reconciled  to  it,  and  were  very  glad  of  an 
opportunity  to  do  it.    • 

In  point  of  personal  appearance  the  people  of 
Nootka  are  among  the  best  looking  of  any  of  the 
tribes  that  I  have  seen.  The  men  are  in  general 
from  about  five  feet  six  to  five  feet  eight  inches 
in  height;  remarkably  straight,  of  a  good  form,  ro- 
bust, and  strong,  with  their  limbs  in  general  well 


'i 


71 


^^* 


1' 


jewitt's  narrative. 


61 


on  who 
36  busi- 
Uer  the 
e  seats, 
!s  as  re- 
t  or  the 
5xt  him, 
r  quali- 
le  fami- 
'nt  any 
ited  to 
gener- 

Iculate 
:)fusion 
t  luxu- 
n  they 
ray  he 
of  his 
bo  eat 
>ng  to 
stock, 
tribut- 
singu- 
most 
home 
r  fish 
1  be- 
3f  an 

[eof 
r  the 
neral 
ches 
,  ro- 
weli 


turned  and  proportioned  excepting  the  legs  and  feet, 
which  are  clumsy  and  ill  formed,  owing  no  doubt 
to  their  practice  of  sitting  on  them,  though  I  have 
seen  instances  in  which  they  were  very  well  sha- 
ped; this  defect  is  more  particularly  apparent  in 
the  women,  who  are  for  the  most  part  of  the  time 
within  doors,  and  constantly  sitting  while  employ- 
ed in  their  cooking  and  other  occupations.  The 
only  instance  of  deformity  that  I  saw  among  them 
was  a  man  of  dwarfish  stature ;  he  was  thirty  years 
old  and  but  three  feet  three  inches  high;  he  had 
however  no  otlier  defect  than  this  diminutive  size, 
being  well  made,  and  as  strong  and  able  to  bear 
fatigue  as  what  they  were  in  general.  Their  com- 
plexion, when  freed  from  the  paint  and  oil  with 
which  their  skins  are  generally  covered,  is  a  brown, 
somewhat  inclining  to  a  copper  cast.  The  shape 
of  the  face  is  oval;  the  features  are  tolerably  regu- 
lar, the  lips  being  thin  and  the  teeth  very  white 
and  even:  their  eyes  are  black  but  rather  small, 
and  the  nose  pretty  well  formed,  being  neither  flat 
nor  very  prominent:  their  hair  is  black,  long  and 
coarse,  but  they  have  no  beard,  completely  extir- 
pating it,  as  well  as  the  hair  from  their  bodies, 
Maquina  being  the  only  exception,  who  suffered 
his  beard  to  grow  on  his  upper  hp,  in  the  manner 
of  mustachios,  which  was  considered  as  a  mark 
of  dignity.  As  to  the  women  they  are  much 
whiter,  many  of  them  not  being  darker  than 
those  in  some  of  the  Southern  parts  of  Europe. 
They  are  in  general  very  well  looking  and 
some  quite  handsome.  Maquina's  favorite  wife 
in  particular,  who  was  a  Wickinninish  princess, 
would  be  considered  as  a  beautiful  woman  in 
any  country.  She  was  uncommonly  well  form- 
ed,  tall,    and   of  a   majestic   appearance;    her 


62 


jewitt's  narrative. 


'e> 


skin  remai'kably  fair  for  one  of  these  peojjle, 
with  considerable  colour,  her  features  handsome 
and  her  eyes  black,  soft,  and  languishing;  her  hair 
was  very  long,  thick,  and  black,  as  is  that  of  the 
females  in  general,  which  is  much  softer  than  tlmt 
of  the  men;  in  this  they  take  nuuli  ])ride,  frequent- 
ly oiling  and  plaiting'  it  carefully  into  two  broad 
plaits,  tying  the  ends  with  a  strip  of  the  cloth  of 
the  country  and  letting  it  hang  down  before  on 
each  side  of  the  face. 

The  women  keep  their  garments  much  neater 
and  cleaner  than  the  men,  and  are  extremely  mod- 
est in  their  deportment  and  dress;  their  mantle  or 
Katsack,  which  is  longer  than  that  of  the  men, 
reaching  quite  to  their  feet,  and  completely  envel- 
oping them,  being  tied  close  under  the  chin,  and 
bound  with  a  girdle  of  the  same  cloth  or  of  sea 
otter  skin  around  their  waists;  it  has  also  loose 
sleeves  which  reach  to  the  elbows.  Though  fond 
of  ornamenting  their  persons  they  are  by  no  means 
so  partial  to  paint  as  the  men,  merely  colouring 
their  eye-brows  black  and  drawing  a  bright  red 
stripe  from  each  corner  of  the  mouth  towards  the 
ear.  Their  ornaments  consist  chiefly  of  ear-rings, 
necklaces,  bracelets,  :^'ngs  for  the  fingers  and  an- 
kles, and  small  nose  jewels,  (the  latter  are  however 
wholly  confined  to  the  wives  of  the  king  or  chiefs) 
these  are  principally  made  out  of  copper  or  brass, 
highly  polished  and  of  various  forms  and  sizes ;  the 
nose  jewel  is  usually  a  small  white  shell  or  bead 
suspended  to  a  thread.  The  wives  of  the  com- 
mon people  frequently  wear  for  bracelets  and  an- 
kle rings,  strips  of  the  country  cloth  or  skin  of 
the  Metamelth  painted  in  figures,  and  those  of 
the  king  or  principal  chiefs  bracelets  and  neck- 
laces, consisting  of  a  number  of  strings  of  Ife-wawy 


1   ''% 

m 


jewitt's  narrative. 


63 


an  article  much  prized  by  them,  and  which  makes 
a  very  handsome  appearance.  This  Ife-waw^  as 
they  term  it,  is  a  kind  of  shell  of  a  dazzling  white- 
ness, and  as  smooih  as  ivory,  it  is  of  a  cylindrical 
form,  in  a  slight  degree  curved,  about  the  size  of 
a  goose  quill,  hollow,  three  inches  in  length  and 
gradually  tapering  to  a  point,  which  is  broken  off 
by  the  natives  as  it  is  taken  from  the  water;  this 
they  afterwards  string  upon  threads  of  bark,  and 
sell  it  by  the  fathom;  it  forms  a  kind  of  circulating 
medium  among  these  nations,  five  fathoms  being 
considered  as  the  price  of  a  slave  their  most  valuable 
species  of  property.  It  is  principally  obtained 
from  the  Aitizzarts,  a  people  living  about  thirty  or 
forty  miles  to  the  Northward,  who  collect  it  from 
the  reefs  and  sunken  rocks  with  which  their  coast 
abounds,  though  it  is  also  brought  in  considerable 
quantity  from  die  South.  Their  mode  of  taking 
it  has  been  thus  described  to  me.  To  one  end 
of  a  pole  is  fiistened  a  piece  of  plank  in  which  a 
considerable  number  of  pine  pegs  are  inserted, 
made  sharp  at  the  ends;  above  the  plank  in  order 
to  sink  it,  a  stone  or  some  weight  is  tied,  and  the 
other  end  of  the  pole  suspended  to  a  long  rope; 
this  is  let  down  perpendicularly  by  the  Ife-icato 
fishers  in  those  places  where  that  substance  is  found, 
which  are  usually  from  fifty  to  sixty  fathoms  deep; 
on  finding  the  bottom  they  raise  the  pole  up  a  few 
feet  and  let  it  fall,  this  they  repeat  a  number  of 
times  as  if  sounding,  when  they  draw  it  up  and 
take  off  the  Ife-icaio  which  is  found  adhering  to 
the  points.  This  method  of  procuring  it  is  very 
laborious  and  fatiguing,  especially  as  they  seldom 
take  more  than  two  or  three  of  these  shells  at  ti 
lime,  and  frequently  none. 
Though  the  women,  as  I  have  said,  make  but 


64 


jewitt's  narrative. 


1 


little  use  of  paint,  the  very  reverse  is  the  case  with 
the  men.  In  decorating  their  heads  and  faces 
they  place  their  principal  pride,  and  none  of  our 
most  fashionable  beaus,  when  preparing  for  a  grand 
ball  can  be  more  particular:  For  I  have  known 
Maquina  after  having  been  employed  for  more  than 
an,  hour  in  painting  his  face,  rub  the  whole  off  and 
recommence  the  operation  anew  when  it  did  not 
entirely  please  him.  The  manner  in  which  they 
paint  themselves  frequently  varies,  according  to  the 
occasion,  but  it  oftener  is  the  mere  dictate  of  whim. 
— The  most  usual  method  is  to  paint  the  eye-brows 
black,  in  form  of  a  half  moon,  and  the  face  red  in 
small  squares,  with  the  arms  and  legs  and  part  of 
the  body  red ;  sometimes  one  half  of  the  face  is 
painted  red  in  squares,  and  the  other  black;  at 
others,  dotted  with  red  spots,  or  red  and  black  in- 
stead of  squares,  with  a  variety  of  other  devices, 
such  as  pamting  one  half  of  the  face  and  body  red, 
and  the  other  black.  But  a  method  of  painting 
which  they  sometimes  employed,  and  which  they 
were  much  more  particular  in,  was  by  laying  on  the 
face  a  quantity  of  bear's  grease  of  about  one  eighth 
of  an  inch  thick;  this  they  raised  up  into  ridges  re- 
sembling a  small  bead  in  joiner's  work,  with  a  stick 
prepared  for  the  purpose,  and  then  painted  them 
red,  which  gave  the  face  a  very  singular  appear- 
ance. On  extraordinary  occasions,  the  king  and 
principal  chiefs  used  to  strew  over  their  faces,  af- 
ter painting,  a  fine  black  shining  powder,  procured 
from  some  mineral,  as  Maquina  told  me  it  was 
got  from  the  rocks.  This  they  call  pelpelth,  and 
value  it  highly,  as,  in  their  opinion,  it  serves  to 
set  off  their  looks  to  great  advantage,  glittering, 
especially  in  the  sun,  like  silver. — This  article  is 
Drought  them  in  bags  by  the  MiochemasSy  a  very 


jewitt's  narrative. 


65 


savage  nation  who  live  a  long  way  to  the  North, 
fioin  whom  they  likewise  receive  a  superior  kind 
ol"  red  paint,  a  species  of  very  fine  and  rich  ochre, 
which  they  hold  in  much  estimation. 

Notwithstanding  this  custom  of  painting  them- 
selves, they  make  it  an  invariable  practice,  both  in 
sunimer  and  winter,  to  bathe  once  a  day,  and  some- 
times oftener;  but  as  the  paint  is  put  on  with  oil, 
it  is  not  much  discomposed  ther(3by,  and  whenever 
they  wish  to  wash  it  off,  they  repair  to  some  piece 
of  fresh  water  and  scour  themselves  with  sand  or 
rushes. 

In  dressing  their  heads  on  occasion  of  a  festi- 
val or  visit,  they  are  full  as  particular,  and  almost* 
as  long,  as  in  painting.  The  hair,  after  being  well 
oiled,  is  carefully  gathered  upon  the  top  of  the 
head  and  secured  by  a  piece  of  pine  or  spruce 
bough  with  the  green  leaves  upon  it.  After  hav- 
ing it  properly  fixed  in  this  manner,  the  king  and 
principal  chiefs  used  to  strew  all  over  it  the  white 
down  obtained  from  a  species  of  large  brown  eagle, 
which  abounds  on  this  coast,  which  they  are  very 
particular  in  arranging  so  as  not  to  have  a  single 
feather  out  of  place,  occasionally  wetting  the  hair 
to  make  it  adhere.  This,  together  with  the  bough, 
which  is  sometimes  of  considerable  size,  and  stuck 
over  with  feathers  by  means  of  turpentine,  gives 
them  a  very  singular  and  grotesque  appearance, 
which  they,  however,  think  very  becoming,  and 
the  first  thing  they  do  on  learning  the  arrival  of 
strangers  is  to  go  and  decorate  themselves  in  this 
manner. 

The  men  also  wear  bracelets  of  painted  leather 
or  copper,  and  large  ear-rings  of  the  latter — but 
the  ornament  on  which  they  appear  to  set  the  most 
value,  is  the  nose-jewel,  if  such  an  appellation  may 

6* 


66 


jewitt's  narrative. 


be  given  to  the  wooden  stick,  which  some  of  thorn 
employ  for  this  purpose.  The  king  and  chiefs, 
however,  wear  them  of  a  difFcrent  form,  being 
either  small  pieces  of  polished  copper  or  brass,  of 
which  I  made  many  for  them,  in  the  shape  of  hearts 
and  diamonds,  or  a  twisted  conical  shell  about  iiiilf 
an  inch  in  length  of  a  blueish  colour  and  very  bright, 
which  is  brought  from  llie  South.  These  are  sus- 
pended by  a  small  wire  or  string  to  the  hole,  in 
the  gristle  of  the  n.^se,  which  is  formed  in  infancy, 
by  boring  it  with  a  pin,  the  hole  being  afterwards 
enlarged  by  the  repeated  insertion  of  woodcTi  pegs 
of  an  increased  size,  until  it  becomes  about  the  di- 
ameter of  a  pipe  stem,  though  some  have  them  of 
a  size  nearly  sufficient  to  admit  the  little  finger. — 
The  common  class  who  cannot  readily  procure  the 
more  expensive  jewels  that  I  have  mentioned, 
substitute  for  them,  usually,  a  smooth  round  stick, 
some  of  which  ju-e  of  an  almost  incredible  length, 
for  I  have  seen  them  projecting  not  less  dian  eight 
or  nine  inches  beyond  the  face  on  each  side;  this 

^  is  made  fast  or  secured  in  its  place  by  litde  wedg- 
es on  each  side  of  it.  These  sprit-sail-yard  fel- 
lows, as  my  mess-mate  used  to  call  them,  when 
rigged  out  in  this  manner  made  quite  a  strange 
show,  and  it  was  his  delight  whenever  he  saw  one 
of  them  coming  towards  us  with  an  air  of  conse- 
quence proportioned  to  the  length  of  his  stick,  to 
put  up  his  hand  suddenly  as  he  was  passing  him, 
so  as  to  strike  the  stick,  in  order,  as  he  said,  to 
brace  him  up  sharp  to  the  wind;  this  used  to  make 
them  very  angry,  but  nothing  was  more  remote 
from  Thompson's  ideas  than  the  wish  to  cultivate 
their  favour. 

The  natives  of  Nootka  appear  to  have  but  litde 

V    inolination  for  the  chase,  though  some  of  them 


i 


■'W 


4EWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


67 


m 


were  exj)ert  marksmen,  and  used  sometimes  to 
shoot  ducks  and  geese,  laut  the  seal  and  the  sea- 
otter  form  the  principal  objects  of  their  hunting, 
particularly  the  latter.  Of  this  animal,  so  much 
noted  for  its  vahiable  skin,  the  following  descrip- 
tion may  not  be  uninteresting.  The  sea-otter  is 
nearly  five  feet  in  length,  exclusive  of  the  tail, 
which  is  about  twelve  inches,  and  is  very  thick 
and  broad  where  it  joins  the  body,  but  gradually 
tapers  to  the  end,  which  is  tipped  with  white. 
The  colour  cf  the  rest  is  a  shining  silky  black, 
with  the  exception  of  a  broad  white  stripe  on  the 
top  of  the  head.  Nothing  can  be  more  beautiful 
than  one  of  these  animals  when  seen  swimming, 
especially  when  on  the  lookout  for  any  object. 
At  such  times  it  raises  its  head  quite  above  the 
surface,  and  the  contrast  between  the  shining 
black  and  the  white,  together  with  its  sharp  ears 
and  a  long  tuft  of  liair  rising  from  the  middle  of 
its  forehead,  which  look  like  three  small  horns, 
render  it  quite  a  novel  and  attractive  object. 
They  are  in  general  very  tame,  and  \/ill  permit  a 
canoe  or  boat  to  approacii  very  near  before  they 
dive.  I  was  told,  however,  diat  they  are  become 
much  more  shy  since  they  have  been  accustomed 
to  shoot  them  with  muskets,  than  when  they  used 
only  arrows.  The  skin  is  held  in  great  estimation 
in  China,  more  especially  that  of  the  tail,  the  fur 
of  which  is  finer  and  closer  set  than  that  on  the 
body.  This  is  always  cut  off  and  sold  separately 
by  the  natives.  The  value  of  a  skin  is  determin- 
ed by  its  size,  that  being  considered  as  a  prime 
skin  which  will  reach,  in  length,  from  a  man's 
chin  to  his  feet.  The  food  of  the  sea-otter  is 
fish,  which  he  is  very  dexterous  in  taking,  being 
an  excellent  swimmer,  with  feet  webbed  like  those 


V 


68 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


' 


. 


of  a  goose. — They  appear  to  be  wholly  confined 
to  the  sea-coast,  at  least  to  the  salt  water.  They 
have  usually  three  or  four  young  at  a  time,  but  ! 
know  not  how  often  they  breed,  nor  in  what  places 
they  deposit  their  young,  though  I  have  frequently 
seen  them  swimming  around  the  mother  when  no 
larger  than  rats.  The  flesh  is  eaten  by  the  na- 
tives, cooked  in  their  usual  mode  by  boiling,  and 
is  far  preferable  to  that  of  the  seal  of  which  they 
make  much  account. 

But  if  not  great  hunters  there  are  few  people 
more  expert  in  fishing.  Their  lines  are  generally 
made  from  the  sinew  of  the  whale,  and  are  ex- 
tremely strong.  For  the  hook,  they  usually  make 
use  of  a  straight  piece  of  hard  wood,  in  the  lower 
part  of  which  is  inserted  and  well  secured,  with 
thread  or  whale  sinew,  a  bit  of  bone  made  very 
sharp  at  the  point  and  bearded ;  but  I  used  to  make 
for  them  hooks  from  iron,  which  they  preferred, 
not  only  as  being  less  liable  to  break,  but  more 
certain  of  securing  the  fish.  Cod,  halibut,  and 
other  seafish  were  not  only  caught  by  t}^3m  with 
hooks,  but  even  salmon.  To  take  this  latte**  fish, 
they  practise  the  following  method — One  person 
seats  limself  in  a  small  canoe,  and  baiting  his  hook 
with  a  sprat,  which  they  are  always  careful  to  pro- 
cure as  fresh  as  possible,  fastens  his  line  to  ilte 
har^dle  of  the  paddle;  this,  as  he  plies  it  in  the 
water,  keeps  the  fish  in  constant  motion,  so  as  to 
give  it  the  appearance  of  life,  which  the  salmon 
seeing,  leaps  at  it  and  is  instantly  hooked,  and  by 
a  sudden  and  dexterous  motion  of  the  paddle, 
drawn  on  board.  I  have  known  some  of  the  na- 
tives to  take  no  less  than  eiglit  or  ten  salmon  of  a 
morning  in  this  manner,  and  have  seen  fmm  twen- 
ty to  thirty  canoes  at  a  time  in  Friendly  Cove  thus 


•r 


4^V 


jewitt's  narrative. 


69 


I 


ri 


M 


employed.  They  are  likewise  little  less  skilful  in 
taking  the  whale.  This  they  kill  with  a  kind  of 
javelin  or  harpoon,  thns  constructed  and  fitted. 
The  barbs  are  formed  of  b'>ne  which  are  sharpen- 
ed on  the  outer  side  and  hollowed  within  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  socket  for  the  staff;  these  are 
then  secured  firmly  together  with  whale  sinew, 
the  point  being  fitted  so  as  to  receive  a  piece  of 
muscle  shei!  which  is  ground  to  a  very  sharp  edge, 
and  secured  in  its  place  by  means  of  turpentine. 
To  this  head  or  prong  is  fastened  a  strong  line  of 
whale  sinew  about  nine  feet  in  length,  to  the  end 
of  which  is  tied  a  bark  rope  from  fifty  to  sixty 
fathoms  long,  having  from  twenty  to  thirty  seal 
skin  floats  or  buoys,  attached  to  it  at  certain  inter- 
vals, in  order  to  check  the  motion  of  the  whale 
and  obstruct  his  diving.  In  the  socket  of  the  har- 
poon a  staff  or  pole  of  about  ten  feet  long,  gradu- 
ally tapering  from  the  middle  to  each  end,  is  plac- 
ed: this  the  harpivOner  holds  in  his  hand  in  order 
to  strike  the  whale,  and  immediately  detaches  it  as 
soon  as  the  fish  is  struck.  The  whale  is  consid- 
ered as  the  king's  fisb,  and  no  other  person,  when 
he  is  present,  is  permitted  to  touch  him  until  the 
royal  harpoon  has  first  drawn  his  blood,  however 
near  he  may  approach;  and  it  would  be  consider- 
ed almost  as  sacrilege  for  any  of  the  common  peo- 
ple to  strike  a  whale,  before  he  is  killed,  particu- 
larly if  any  of  the  chiefs  should  be  present.  They 
also  kill  the  porpoise  and  sea  cow  with  harpoons, 
,but  this  inferior  game  is  not  interdicted  the  lower 
class. 

With  regard  to  the'r  canoes,  some  of  the  hand- 
somest to  be  found  on  the  whole  coast  are  made 
at  Nootka,  though  very  fine  ones  are  brought  by 
tJ)0  Wickanninish  nnH  \ho  Klaiz-znrt-s,  who  have 


1 


T 


mmmmm 


1, 


70 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


them  more  highly  ornamented.  They  are  of  all 
sizes,  from  such  as  are  capable  of  holding  only  one 
person  to  their  largest  war  canoes  which  will  carry 
forty  men,  and  are  extremely  light.  Of  these,  tlie 
largest  of  any  that  I  ever  saw,  was  one  belonging 
to  Maquina,  which  I  measured  and  found  to  be 
forty-two  feet  six  inches  in  length  at  the  bottom, 
Q^ttd  forty-six  feet  from  stem  to  stern.  These  are 
made  of  pine  hollowed  out  from  a  tree  with  their 
chisels  solely,  which  are  about  three  inches  broad 
and  six  in  length,  and  set  into  a  handle  of  very 
hard  wood.  This  instrument  was  formerly  made 
of  flint  or  some  hard  stone  ground  down  to  as 
sharp  an  edge  as  possible,  but  since  they  have 
learned  the  use  of  iron,  they  have  almost  all  of 
them  of  that  metal.  Instead  of  a  mallet  for  strik- 
ing this  chisel,  they  make  use  of  a  smooth  round 
stone,  which  they  hold  in  the  palm  of  the  hand. 
With  this  same  awkward  instrument  they  not  only 
excavate  their  canoes  and  trays  and  smooth  their 
plank,  but  cut  down  such  trees  as  they  want,  eith- 
er for  building,  fuel,  or  other  purposes,  a  labour 
which  is  mostly  done  by  their  slaves. 

The  falling  of  trees  as  practised  by  them  is  a 
slow  and  most  tedious  process,  three  of  them  be- 
ing generally  from  two  to  three  days  in  cutting 
down  a  large  one,  yet  so  attached  were  they  to 
their  own  method,  that  notwithstanding  they  saw 
Thompson  frequently  with  one  of  our  axes,  of 
which  there  was  a  number  saved,  fall  a  tree  in  less 
time  than  they  could  have  gone  round  it  with  their 
chisels,  still  they  could  not  be  persuaded  to  make 
use  of  them. 

After  hollowing  out  their  canoes,  which  they  do 
very  neatly,  they  fashion  the  outside,  and  slightly 
burn  it  for  the  purpose  of  removing  any  splinters 


=::■% 


jewitt's  narrative. 


71 


e  of  all 
m\y  one 
ill  carry 
ese,  the 
3longing 
I  to  be 
bottom, 
lese  are 
th  their 
;s  broad 
of  very 
f  made 
I  to  as 
y  have 

all  of 
>r  strik- 
1  round 
3  hand, 
ot  only 
h  their 
t,  eith- 

laboiir 

n  is  a 
?m  be- 
cutting 
hey  to 

3y  saw 

PS,  of 
in  less 
1  their 
make 

ley  do 
lightly 
linters 


or  small  points  tliat  might  obstruct  its  passage 
through  the  water,  after  which  they  rub  it  over 
thoroughly,  with  rushes  or  coarse  mats,  in  order  to 
smooth  it,  which  not  only  renders  it  almost  as 
smooth  as  glass,  but  forms  a  better  security  for 
it  from  the  weather;  this  operation  of  burning 
and  rubbing  down  the  bottoms  of  their  canoes  is 
practised  as  often  as  they  acquire  any  considerable 
degree  of  roughness  froin  use.  Tlie  outside,  by 
this  means  becomes  quite  black,  and  to  complete 
their  work  they  paint  the  inside  of  a  bright  red, 
with  ochre  or  some  odier  similar  substance;  the 
prows  and  sterns  are  almost  always  ornamented 
with  figures  of  ducks  or  some  other  kind  of  bird, 
the  former  being  so  fashioned  as  to  represent  the 
head  and  the  latter  the  tail,  these  are  separate  pie- 
ces from  the  canoe,  and  are  fastened  to  it  with 
small  flexible  twigs  or  bark  cord.  Some  of  these 
canoes,  particularly  those  employed  in  whaling, 
which  will  hold  about  ten  men,  are  ornamented 
within  about  two  inches  below  the  gunwale,  with 
two  parallel  lines  on  each  side  of  very  small  white 
shells  runnins;  fore  and  aft,  wliich  has  a  very  pret- 
ty effect.  Their  war  canoes  have  no  ornament  of 
this  kind  but  are  painted  on  the  outside  with  fig- 
ures in  white  chalk  representing  eagles,  whales, 
human  heads,  &c.  They  are  very  dexterous  in 
ihe  use  of  their  paddles,  which  are  very  neatly 
w^rought,  and  are  five  feet  long  with  a  short  handle 
and  a  blade  seven  inches  broad  in  the  middle  taper- 
ing to  a  sharp  point.  With  these  they  will  make 
a  canoe  skim  very  swiftly  on  the  w^ater  with  scarce- 
ly any  noise,  while  they  keep  time  to  the  stroke 
of  the  paddle  with  tlieir  songs. 

With  regard  to  these  they  have  a  number  which 


72 


jewitt's  narrative. 


i 


they  sing  on  various  occasions;  as  war*  whaling, 
and  fishing,  at  their  marriages  and  feasts,  and  at 
pubHc  festivals  or  solemnities.  The  language  of 
the  most  of  the^e  appears  to  be  very  different,  in 
many  respects,  from  that  used  in  their  common 
conversation,  which  leads  me  to  believe  either 
that  they  have  a  different  mode  of  expressing  them- 
selves in  poetry,  or  that  they  borrow  their  songs 
from  their  neighbors,  and  what  the  more  particular- 
ly induces  me  to  the  latter  opinion,  is,  that  when- 
ever any  of  the  Newchemass,  a  people  from  the 
Northward  and  who  speak  a  very  different  lan- 
guage, arrived,  they  used  to  tell  me  that  they  ejt- 
pected  a  new  song,  and  were  almost  always  suie 
to  have  one. 

Their  tunes  are  generally  soft  and  plaintive,  and 
though  not  possessing  great  variety,  are  not  defi- 
cient in  harmony. — Their  singing  is,generally  ac- 
companied with  several  rude  kinds  of  instrumental 
music;  among  the  most  prominent  of  which  is  a 
kind  of  drum.  This  is  nothing  more  than  a  long 
plank  hollowed  out  on  the  under  side  and  made 
quite  thin,  which  is  beat  upon  by  a  stick  of  about 
a  foot  long  and  renders  a  sound  not  unlike  beating 
on  the  head  of  an  empty  cask,  but  much  louder. 
But  the  two  most  favorite  instruments  are  the  rat- 
tle and  the  pipe  or  whistle ;  these  are  however  on- 
ly used  by  the  king,  the  chiefs,  or  some  particular 
persons;  the  former  is  made  of  dried  seal-skin,  so 
as  to  represent  a  fish,  and  is  filled  with  a  number 
of  small  smooth  pebbles,  it  has  a  short  handle  and 
is  painted  red.  The  whistle  is  made  of  bone, 
generally  the  leg  of  a  deer,  it  is  short  but  emits  a 

*  A  specimen  of  one  of  thtir  war  songs  will  be  found  at  the  end 
of  this  work. 


jr.»\  ITT  s  :,Ai*. iiATi\  i: 


73 


ivhaling, 
and  at 
;uage  of 
3rent,  in 
common 
e  either 
ig  them- 
lir  songs 
irticular- 
at  when- 
'rom  the 
•ent  lan- 
they  ej:- 
ays  sure 

itive,  and 
not  defi- 
srally  ac- 
trumental 
hich  is  a 
an  a  long 
md  made 
:  of  about 
:e  beating 
h  louder, 
•e  the  rat- 
wever  on- 
particular 
il-skin,  so 
a  number 
landle  and 
of  bone, 
lut  emits  a 

nd  at  the  end 


vcrv  shrill  somul.  Tii'jy  have  likewise  another 
kind  of  music,  which  they  make  use  of  in  dancing, 
in  the  manner  of  castanets,  this  is  produced  by  a 
nuijil)cr  of  muscle  or  cockle  shells  tied  together 
and  shaken  to  a  kind  of  tune,  w  hich  is  accompa- 
nied with  the  voice. 

Their  slaves,  as  I  have  observed,  form  their 
most  valuable  species  of  property. — These  are  of 
both  sexes,  being  eidier  captives  taken  by  them- 
selves in  war,  or  purchased  from  the  neighboring 
tribes,  and  who  reside  in  the  same  house,  forming 
as  it  were  a  part  of  the  family,  are  usually  kindly 
treated,  eat  of  the  same  food,  and  live  as  well  as 
their  masters.  They  are  compelled  howevei  at 
times  to  labour  severely,  as  not  only  all  the  murii- 
al  offices  are  performed  by  them,  such  as  bringing 
water,  cutUng  wood  and  a  variety  of  others,  but 
they  are  obliged  to  make  the  canoes,  to  assist  in 
building  and  repairing  the  houses,  to  supply  their 
masters  with  fish,  and  to  attend  them  to  war  and 
to  fight  for  them.  None  but  the  king  and  chiefs 
have  slaves,  the  common  people  being  prevented 
from  holding  them  either  from  thei"  inability  to 
purchase  them,  or  as  I  am  the  ra^'ier  inclined  to 
tliink  from  its  being  considered  as  the  privilege  of 
the  former  alone  to  have  them,  especially  as  all 
those  made  prisoners  in  war  belong  either  to  the 
king  or  the  chiefs,  who  have  captured  them,  each 
one  holding  such  as  have  been  taken  by  himself  or 
his  slaves.  There  is  probably  however  some  lit- 
tle distinction  in  favour  of  the  king,  who  is  alw^ays 
the  commander  of  the  expedition,  as  Maquina  had 
nearly  fifty,  male  and  female,  in  his  house,  a  num- 
ber constituting  about  one  half  of  its  inhabitants^ 
comprehending  those  obtained  by  war  and  purchase, 
whereas  none  of  th«  other  chiefs  had  more  than 


I  IJJ.W1II' 


•'mmmnimi0m' 


I 


74 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


twelve.  The  females  are  employed  principally  in 
manufacturing  cloth,  in  cooking,  collecting  berries, 
&c.  and  with  regard  to  food  and  living  in  general 
have  not  a  much  harder  lot  than  their  mistresses, 
the  principal  difference  consisting,  in  these  poor 
unfortunate  creatures  being  considered  as  free  to 
any  one,  their  masters  prostituting  them  whenever 
they  think  proper  for  the  purpose  of  gain.  In  this 
way  many  of  them  are  brought  on  board  the  ships 
and  offered  to  the  crews,  from  whence  an  opinion 
appears  to  have  been  formed  by  some  of  our  navi- 
gators, injurious  to  the  chastity  of  their  females, 
than  which  nothing  can  be  more  generally  untrue, 
as  perhaps  in  no  part  of  the  world  is  that  virtue 
more  prized. 

The  houses  at  Nootka  as  already  stated,  are 
about  twenty,  without  comprising  those  inhabited 
by  the  Klahars,  a  small  tribe  that  has  been  con- 
quered and  incorporated  into  that  of  Nootka, 
though  they  must  be  considered  as  in  a  state  of 
vassalage  as  they  are  not  permitted  to  have  any 
chiefs  among  them,  and  live  by  themselves  in  a 
cluster  of  small  houses  at  a  little  distance  from  the 
village.  The  Nootka  tribe  which  consists  of  about 
five  hundred  warriors,  is  not  only  more  numerous 
than  almost  any  of  the  neighbouring  tribes,  but  far 
exceeds  them  in  the  strength  and  martial  spirit  of 
its  people;  and  in  fact  there  are  but  few  nations 
within  a  hundred  miles  either  to  the  North  or 
South  but  are  considered  as  tributary  to  them. 

In  giving  some  account  of  the  tribes  that  w^re 
accustomed  to  visit  Nootka,  I  shall  commence  at 
the  Southward  with  the  Kla-iz-zarts,  and  the  Wick- 
inninish,  premising  that  in  point  of  personal  appear- 
ance there  prevails  a  wonderful  diversity  between 
did  viu:ious  tribes  on  the  coast,  with  the  exception 


►ally  in 
erries, 
general 
resses, 
J  poor 
free  to 
enever 
In  this 
e  ships 
opinion 
ir  navi- 
3males, 
untrue, 
virtue 

3d,  are 
habited 
n  con- 
rootka, 
ate  of 
ve  any 
s   in  a 
cm  the 
f  about 
nerous 
3ut  far 
)irit  of 
nations 
rth  or 
m. 
,t  were 
jnce  at 
Wick- 
ippear- 
tvveen 
jeption 


jewitt's  narrative. 


4 


\ 


of  the  feet  and  legs,  which  are  badly  shaped  in  al- 
most all  of  them  from  their  practice  of  sittmg  on 
them.  The  Kla-iz-zarts  are  a  numerous  and 
powerful  tribe,  living  nearly  three  hundred  miles 
to  the  South,  and  are  said  to  consist  of  more  than 
a  thousand  warriors.  They  appear  to  be  more 
civilized  than  any  of  the  others,  being  better  and 
more  neatly  dressed,  more  mild  and  affable  in  their 
manners,  remarkable  for  their  sprightliness  and 
vivacity,  and  celebrated  for  their  singing  and  danc- 
ing. They  exhibit  also  great  marks  of ,  im- 
provement in  whatever  is  wrought  by  them;  their 
canoes,  though  not  superior  to  those  of  Nootkain 
point  of  form  and  lightness,  being  more  highly  or- 
namented, and  their  weapons  and  tools  of  every 
kind  have  a  much  higher  finish  and  display  more 
skill  in  the  workmanship.  Their  cast  of  counte- 
nance is  very  different  from  that  of  the  Nootkians, 
their  faces  being  very  broad,  with  a  less  prominent 
nose  and  smaller  eyes,  and  the  top  of  the  head 
flattened  as  if  it  had  been  pressed  down  with  a 
weight.  Their  complexion  is  also  much  fairer, 
and  their  stature  shorter,  though  they  are  well 
formed  and  strongly  set.  They  have  a  custom 
which  appears  to  be  peculiar  to  them,  as  I  never 
observed  it  in  any  of  the  other  tribes,  which  is  to 
pluck  out  not  only  their  beards,  and  the  hair  from 
their  bodies,  but  also  their  eye-brows,  so  as  not 
to  leave  a  vestige  remaining.  They  were  also  in 
general  more  skilful  in  painting  and  decorating 
themselves,  and  I  have  seen  some  of  them  with 
no  less  than  a  dozen  holes  in  each  of  their  ears  to 
which  were  suspended  strings  of  small  beads  about 
two  inches  in  length.  Their  languaire  is  the  same 
as  spoken  at  Nootka,  but  their  pronunciation  is 
much  more  hoarse  and   guttural.      Thcs«  peo])lo 


'4 


|:^ 


76 


JEWITT'S  NARRATIVE. 


whaling,  but 


are  not  only  very  expert  in 

hunters  of  the  sea  otter  and  other  animals  vvitn 
which  their  country  is  said  to  abound,  as  the  Me- 
tamelth  a  large  animal  of  the  deer  kind,  the  skin 
of  which  I  have  already  spoken  of,  another  of  a 
light  grey  colour,  with  very  fine  hair  from  which 
they  manufacture  a  handsome  cloth,  the  beaver  and 
a  species  of  large  wild  cat,  or  tyger  cat. 

The  Wickinninish,  their  neighbours  on  the 
North,  are  about  two  hundred  miles  from  Nootka. 
They  are  a  robust,  strong  and  warlike  peopl^e,  but 
considered  by  the  Nootkians  as  their  inferiors  in 
courage.  This  tribe  is  more  numerous  than  tliat 
of  Nootka,  amounting  to  between  six  and  seven 
hundred  warriors.  Though  not  so  civilized  as  the 
Kla-iz-zarts  and  less  skilful  in  their  manufactures, 
like  them  they  employ  themselves  in  hunting  as 
well  as  in  whaling  and  fishing.  Their  faces  are 
broad  but  less  so  than  the  Kla-iz-zarts,  with  a 
darker  complexion,  and  a  much  less  open  and 
pleasing  expression  of  countenance,  while  their 
heads  present  a  very  different  form,  being  pressed 
in  at  the  sides  and  lengthened  towards  the  top, 
somewhat  in  the  shape  of  a  sugar  loaf.  These 
people  are  very  frequent  visitors  at  Nootka,  a 
close  friendship  subsisting  between  the  two  nations, 
Maqunia's  Arcomah^  or  Queen,  Y-ya-tintla-no, 
being  the  daughter  of  the  Wickinn;nish  king.  The 
Kla-oo-quates  adjoining  them  on  the  North  are 
much  less  numerous,  their  force  not  exceeding 
four  hundred  fighting  men;  they  are  also  behind 
them  in  the  arts  of  life.  These  are  a  fierce,  bold, 
and  enterprizing  people,  and  there  were  none  that 
visited  Nootka,  whom  Maquina  used  to  be  more 
on  his  guard  against,  or  viewed  with  so  much  sus- 
picion.    The  Eshquates  are  about  the  same  num 


■.r;- 


JLWITT   S   NARRVTIVE. 


77     ^ 


but 


ber;  these  are  coiisldcied  as  tributary  to  Maquina: 
Their  coast  tibouiuls  with  rivers,  creeks,  and 
marshes.  To  the  Nortli  the  nearest  tribe  of  any 
importance  is  the  Aitizzarts;  these  however  do  not 
exceed  three  hundred  warriors.  In  appearance 
they  greatly  resemble  the  people  of  Nootka,  to 
whom  they  are  considered  as  tributary,  their  man- 
ners, dress,  and  style  of  living  also  being  very 
similar.  They  reside  at  about  forty  miles  distance 
up  the  sound.  A  considerable  way  further  to  the 
northward  are  the  Cuyuquets;  these  are  a  much 
more  numerous  tribe  than  that  of  Nootka,  but 
thought  by  the  latter  to  be  deficient  in  courage  and 
martial  spirit,  Maquina  having  frequently  told  me 
that  their  hearts  were  little  like  those  of  birds. 

There  are  also  both  at  the  North  and  South 
many  other  intervening  tribes,  but  in  general  small 
in  number  and  insignificant,  all  of  whom  as  well  as 
the  above  mentioned  speak  the  same  language. 
But  the  Newchemass  who  come  from  a  great  way 
to  the  Northward,  and  from  some  distance  inland, 
as  I  was  told  by  Maquina,  speak  quite  a  different 
lansjuage,  although  it  is  well  understood  by  those 
of  Nootka.  These  were  the  most  savage  looking 
and  ugly  men  that  I  ever  saw,  their  complexion 
being  much  darker,  their  stature  shorter,  and  their 
hair  coarser,  than  that  of  the  other  nations,  and 
their  dress  and  appearance  dirty  in  an  extreme. 
They  wear  their  beards  long  like  Jews,  and  have 
a  very  morose  and  surly  countenance.  Their  usual 
dress  is  a  Kootsuck  made  of  wolf  skin,  with  a 
number  of  the  tails  attached  to  it,  of  which  I  have 
seen  no  less  than  ten  on  one  garment,  hanging  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom;  though  they  sometimes 
wear  a  similar  mantle  of  bark  cloth,  of  a  much 
coarser  texture  than  that  of  Nootka,  the 


■7* 


orig 


inal 


I* 


■< 


'TO  *"  jewitt's  narrative. 

* 

colour  of  which  appears  to  be  the  same,  though 
from  their  very  great  fikhiness,  it  was  ahnost  im- 
possible to  discover  what  it  had  been.  Thoir 
mode  of  dressing  their  hair  also  varies  essentially 
from  that  of  the  other  tribes,  for  they  suflbr  that 
on  the  back  of  the  head  to  hang  loose,  and  bind 
the  other  over  their  foreheads  in  the  manner  of  a 
fillet,  with  a  strip  of  their  country  cloth,  ornament- 
ed with  small  white  shells.  Their  weapons  iiro 
the  Cheetoolth.)  or  war  club,  which  is  made  from 
whale  bone,  daggers,  bows  and  arrows,  and  a  kind 
of  spear  pointed  with  bone  or  copper.  Tiiey 
^I^Dught-with  them  no  furs  for  sale,  excepting  a  few 
wolf  skins,  their  merchandize  consisting  principal- 
ly of  the  black  shining  mineral  called  pelpelth,  and 
the  fine  red  paint  which  they  carefully  kept  in 
close  mat  bags,  some  small  dried  salmon,  clams, 
and  roes  of  fish,  whh  ccasionally  a  little  coarse 
matting  cloth.  They  were  accustomed  to  remain 
a  much  longer  time  at  Nootka  than  the  other 
tribes,  in  order  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  of  a 
long  journey,  part  of  which  was  over  land,  and  on 
these  occasions  taught  their  songs  to  our  savages. 
The  trade  of  most  of  the  other  tribes  with  Nootka 
was  principally  train  oil,  seal  or  whale's  blubber, 
fish  fresh  or  dried,  herring  or  salmon  spawn,  clams, 
and  muscles,  and  the  yama^  a  species  of  fruit 
which  is  pressed  and  dried,  cloth,  sea  otter  skins, 
and  slaves.  From  the  Aitizzarts,  and  the  Cayu- 
quets,  particularly  the  former,  the  best  I-whaw 
and  in  the  greatest  quantities  was  obtained.  The 
Eshquates  furnished  us  with  wild  ducks  and  geese, 
particularly  the  latter.  The  Wickinninish  and 
Kla-iz-zarts  brought  to  market  many  slaves,  the 
best  sea  otter  skins,  great  quantities  of  oil,  whale 
sinew,  and  cakes  of  the  yama,  highly  ornamented 


:.^..W^'=^/i:i..i.. 


JEWITTS  NARRATIVE. 


79 


St   iiu- 
Tlioir 

31-   that 
l1   bind 
r  of  a 
aiiient- 
ns  ni'o 
3  from 
a  kind 
They 
g  a  few 
ncipal- 
tli,  and 
cept  in 
clams, 
coarse 
remain 
other 
e  of  a 
and  on 
ivages. 
>J'ootka 
ubber, 
clams, 
)f  fruit 
skins, 
Cayu- 
-whaw 
The 
geese, 
h   and 
is,  the 
whale 
nentcd 


m 


canoes,  some  I-whaw,  red  ochre  and  pelpekh  of 
an  inferior  quality  to  that  obtained  from  the  Nevv- 
chemass,  but  particularly  the  so  much  valued  J\fct- 
amcltli^  and  an  excellent  root  called  by  die  Kki-iz- 
zarts  Quaivnoose.  This  is  the  size  of  a  small  on- 
ion, but  radicr  longer,  being  of  a  tapering  form 
like  a  pear,  and  of  a  brownish  colour.  It  is  cook- 
ed by  steam,  is  always  brought  in  baskets  ready 
prepared  for  eating,  and  is  in  truth  a  very  fine  veg- 
etable, being  sweet,  mealy  and  of  a  most  agreea- 
ble flavour.  It  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  na- 
tives who  used  to  eat  it  as  they  did  everything  else 
with  train  oil. — From  the  Kla-iz-zarts  was  also  re- 
ceived, though  in  no  great  quantity,  a  cloth  manu- 
factured by  them  from  the  fur  already  spoken  of, 
which  feels  like  wool  and  is  of  a  grey  colour. 

Many  of  the  articles  thus  brought,  particularly 
the  provisions,  were  considered  as  presents,  or 
tributary  offerings,  but  this  must  be  viewed  as  lit- 
tle more  than  a  nominal  acknowledgment  of  supe- 
riority, as  they  rarely  failed  to  get  the  full  amount 
of  the  value  of  their  presents.  I  have  known 
eighteen  of  the  great  tubs,  in  which  they  keep 
their  provisions,  filled  with  spawn  brought  in  this 
way.  On  these  occasions  a  great  feast  is  always 
made,  to  which  not  only  the  strangers,  but  the 
whole  village,  men,  women,  and  children  are  gen- 
erally invited,  and  I  have  seen  five  c4*  die  largest 
tubs  employed  at  such  time  in  cooking  at  the 
king's. house.  At  these  feasts  they  generally  in- 
dulge in  eating  to  an  excess,  making  up  in  this 
respect  for  their  want  of  inebriating  liquors,  which 
they  know  no  method  of  preparing  in  any  form, 
their  only  drink  being  water. 

Whenever  they  came  to  visit  or  trade  it  was 
their  general  custom,  to  stop  a  few  miles  distant 


80 


jewitt's  narrative. 


under  the  lee  of  some  bluff  or  rock,  and  rig  them- 
selves out  in  their  best  manner,  by  painting  and 
dressing  their  heads.  On  their  first  coming  on 
shore,  they  were  invited  to  eat  by  the  king,  when 
they  brought  to  him,  such  articles  as  he  wanted, 
after  which  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  were  ])er- 
mitted  to  purchase,  the  <6trangers  being  careful  to 
keep  them  in  their  canoes  until  sold,  under  strict 
guard  to  prevent  their  being  stolen,  the  disposition 
of  these  people  for  thieving  being  so  great,  that  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  them. 

This  was  their  usual  mode  of  trafRck,  but  when- 
ever they  wished  to  purchase  any  particular  object, 
as  for  instance,  a  certain  slave,  or  some  other 
thing  of  which  they  were  very  desirous,  the  canoe 
that  came  for  this  purpose  would  lie  off  at  a  little 
distance  from  the  shore,  and  a  kind  of  embassador 
or  representative  of  the  king  or  chief  by  whom  it 
was  sent,  dressed  in  their  best  manner,  and  with 
his  head  covered  with  the  white  down,  would  rise, 
and  after  making  known  the  object  of  his  mission 
in  a  pompous  speech,  hold  up  specimens  of  such 
articles  as  he  was  instructed  to  offer  in  payment, 
mentioning  the  number  or  quantity  oi  each,  when 
if  the  bargain  was  concluded,  the  exchange  was 
immediately  made. 

On  their  visits  of  friendship  or  traffick,'  the 
chiefs  alone  used  to  sleep  on  shore,  this  was  gen- 
erally at  the  house  of  the  king  or  head  chief,  the 
others  passing  the  night  on  board  of  their  canoes, 
which  was  done  not  only  for  the  preservation  of 
their  property,  but  because  they  were  not  permit- 
ted to  remain  on  shore,  lest  they  might  excite 
some  disturbance  or  commit  depredations. 

All  these  people  generally  go  armed,  the  com- 
mon class  wearing  only  a  dagger,  suspended  from 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


81 


thcm- 
g  and 
iig  on 

when 
anted, 
3  per- 
:ful  to 

strict 
osition 
that  it 
lem. 
,  when- 
objcct, 
;  other 
3  canoe 
a  little 
issador 
horn  it 
d  with 
Id  rise, 
nission 
)f  such 
yment, 

when 
ge  was 

k,"  the 
as  gen- 
ef,  the 
Icanoes, 
tion  of 
permit- 
excite 

e  corn- 
el from 


tlieir  neck  behind,  with  a  string  of  mctamchh,  and 
sometimes  thrust  in  their  girdles.  The  rhiofs  in 
addition  to  the  dagger  carry  tlie  Checlooltli^  or 
war-club  suspended  in  the  same  manner  beneath 
their  mantles;  this  in  the  hands  of  a  strong  man  is 
a  powerful  weapon,  in  the  management  of  which, 
some  of  the  older  chiefs  are  very  dexterous.  It 
is  made  from  the  bone  of  a  whale,  and  is  very 
heavy.  The  blade  is  about  eighteen  inches  long 
and  three  broad,  till  it  a])proaches  near  the  point, 
where  it  expands  to  the  breadth  of  fom*  inches. 
In  the  middle,  from  whence  it  slopes  ofT  gradually 
to  an  edge  on  each  side,  it  is  from  one;  to  two 
inches  in  thickness.  This  blade  is  usually  cover- 
ed with  figures  of  the  sun  and  moon,  a  man's  head, 
&,c.  and  the  hilt  which  is  made  to  re])resent  the 
head  of  a  man  or  some  animal,  is  curiously  set 
with  small  white  shells,  and  has  a  band  of  meta- 
niellh  fastened  to  it  in  order  to  sling  it  over  the 
shoulder.  Some  of  the  tribes  have  also  a  kind  of 
spear  headed  with  copper  or  the  bone  of  the  sling 
ray,  which  is  a  dangerous  weapon;  th'.s  is  however 
not  usual,  and  only  carried  by  the  chiefs.  The 
bow  and  arrow  are  still  used  by  a  few,  but  since 
the  introduction  of  fire  arms  among  them,  this 
wea|')on  has  been  mostly  laid  aside, 
"^mit  to  return  to  our  unhappy  '^nation.  Though 
my  comrade  and  myself  fared  as  well,  and  even 
better  than  we  could  have  expected  among  these 
people,  considering  their  customs  and  mode  of 
living,  yet  our  fears  lest  no  ship  would  come  to 
our  release,  and  that  we  should  never  more  behold 
a  Christian  country,  were  ^o  us  a  source  of  con- 
stant pain.  .Our  principal  consolation  in  this 
gloomy  state,\was  to  go  on  Sundays,  whenever 
the  weather  would  permit,  to  the  berders  of  a 


M 


,_  >  —  jfc.'t!^Jjii>iiii_ 


BBS 


82 


jewitt's  narrative. 


t 


\ 


/ 


fresh  water  pond,  about  a  mile  from  the  village, 
where,  alter  bathing,  and  putting  on  clean  clothes, 
we  would  seat  ourselves  under  the  shade  of  a 
beautiful  pine,  while  I  read  some  chapters  in  tlie 
Bible,  and  t'.io  prayers  appointed  by  our  Church 
for  the  day,  ending  our  devotions  with  a  fervent 
prayer  to  the  Almighty  that  he  would  deign  still  to 
watch  over  and  preserve  our  lives,  rescue  us  from 
the  hands  of  the  savages,  and  permit  us  once  more 
to  behold  a  Christian  land.  In  this  manner  were 
the  greater  part  of  our  Sundays  passed  at  Nootka; 
and  I  felt  grateful  to  heaven,  that  amidst  our  other 
sufferings,  we  were  at  least  allowed  the  pleasure 
of  offering  up  our  devotions  unmolested,  for  Ma- 
quina,  on  my  explaining  to  him  as  well  as  was  in 
my  power  the  reason  of  our  thus  retiring  at  this 
time,  far  from  objecting,  readily  consented  to  it. 
The  pond  ajove  mentioned  was  small,  not  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth  and  of  no  great 
length,  the  water  being  very  clear,  though  not  of 
great  depth,  and  bordered  by  a  beautiful  forest  of 
pine,  fir,  elm,  and  boach,  free  from  bushes  and 
underwood — a  most  dehghtful. retreat,  which  was 
rendered  still  more  attractive  by  a  great  number 
of  birds  that  frequented  it,  particularly  the  hum- 
ming bird.  Thither  we  used  to  go  to  wash  our 
clothes,  and  felt  secure  from  any  intrusion  from 
the  natives,  as  they  rarely  visited  it  except  for  the 
purpose  of  cleansing  themselves  of  their  paint.^; 

In  July  we  at  length  thought  that  the  hope  of  de- 
livery we  had  so  long  anxiously  indulged,  was  on  the 
point  of  being  gratified.  A  ship  appeared  in  the 
offing,  but  alas,  our  fond  hopes  vanished  almost  as 
soon  as  formed;  for  instead  of  standing  in  for  the 
shore  she  passed  to  the  northward  and  soon  disap- 
npured.     I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  our  disap- 


1V 


V  v 


.ti  r 


jewitt's  narrative. 


68 


village, 
clothes, 
de  ol'  a 
1  in  the 
Church 
fervent 
1  still  to 
us  from 
ce  more 
er  were 
Nootka; 
ur  other 
pleasure 
for  Ma- 
I  was  in 
at  this 
id  to  it. 
Dt  more 
10  great 
not  of 
)rest  of 
les  and 
ich  was 
number 
e  hum- 
ash  our 
)n  from 
t  for  the 
lintT""/ 
e  of  de- 
ls on  the 
\  In  the 
most  as 
for  the 
1  disap- 
ir  disap- 


pointment— my  heart  sunk  within  me,  and  I  felt  as 
though  it  was  my  destiny  never  more  to  behold  a 
Christian  face.  Vour  days  after  there  occurred  a 
tremendous  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning,  chu'ing 
which  the  natives  manifest  great  alarm  and  terror, 
the  whole  tribe,  hurrying  to  Maquina's  house, 
where,  instead  of  keeping  within,  they  seated 
themselves  on  the  roof  amid  the  severest  of  the 
temj)cst,  drumming  upon  the  boards,  and  looking 
up  to  heaven,  while  the  king  beat  the  long  hollow 
plank,  singing,  and  as  he  afterwards  told  me,  beg- 
ging Quakootzc^  thv  name  they  gave  to  Gud,  not 
to  kill  diem,  in  which  he  was  accompanied  by  the 
whole  tribe;  this  singing  and  drunnning  was  con- 
tinued until  the  storm  abated. 

As  die  summer  drew  near  its  close,  we  began 
to  suffer  from  the  frequent  want  of  food,  which 
was  principally  owing  to  Maquina  and  the  chiefs 
being  out  whaling,  in  which  he  would  not  })ermit 
Thompson  and  myself  to  join,  lest  we  should 
make  our  escape  to  some  o^  the  neighbouring 
tribes.  At  these  times  the  women  seldom  or  ever 
cook  any  provision,  and  we  were  often  hungry, 
but  were  sometimes  fortunate  enough  to  procure 
secretly,  a  piece  of  salmon,  some  other  fish,  spaw'n, 
or  even  blubber,  which,  by  boiling  in  salt  water, 
\\ith  a  few  onions  and  turnips,  the  remains  of  the 
Spanish  garden,  or  young  nettles  and  odier  herbs, 
furnished  us  a  delicious  repast  in  private.  In  the 
mean  time,  we  frequently  received  accounts  from 
the  tribes  who  came  to  Nootka,  both  from  the 
north  and  south,  of  diere  being  vessels  on  the 
coast,  and  were  advised  by  their  chiefs  to  make 
our  escape,  who  also  promised  us  their  aid,  and  to 
put  us  on  board.  These  stories,  however,  as  I 
afterwai'ds  learned,  were  almost  all  of  them  with- 


84 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


\ 


I 


out  any  foundation,  and  merely  invented  by  these 
people  with  a  view  to  get  us  into  their  power  in 
order  to  make  slaves  of  us  themselves,  or  to  sell 
us  to  others.  But  I  was  still  more  stmngly  solic- 
ited to  leave  Nootka  by  a  woman.  This  was  a 
Wickinninish  princess,  a  younsj^cr  sister  of  Mmjiii- 
na's  wife,  who  was  there  on  a  visit.  I  had  the  2;oo(l 
fortune,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  to  become  quite  a 
favourite  with  her.  She  appeared  much  interested 
for  me — asked  me  many  questions  respecting  my 
country,  if  I  had  a  mother  and  sister  at  home,  and 
if  they  would  not  grieve  for  my  absence.  Her 
complexion  was  fairer  than  diat  of  the  women  in  gen- 
eral, and  her  features  more  regular,  and  she  woukl 
have  been  quite  handsome  had  it  not  been  for  a  de- 
fect in  one  of  her  eyes,  the  sight  of  which  had 
been  injured  by  some  accident,  the  reason,  as 
Maquina  told  me,  why  she  had  not  been  married,  a 
defect  of  this  kind  being  by  these  savages  consid- 
ered as  almost  an  insuperable  objection.  She 
urged  me  repeatedly  to  return  with  her,  telling  me 
that  the  Wickinninish  were  much  better  than  the 
Nootkians;  that  her  father  would  treat  me  more 
kindly  than  Maquina,  give  me  better  food  and 
clothes,  and  finally  put  me  on  board  one  of  my  own 
country  vessels.  I  felt,  however,  little  disposed 
to  accompany  her,  considering  my  situation  with 
Maquina  full  as  eligible  as  it  would  be  with  the 
Wickinninish,  if  not  better,  notwithstanding  all  she 
said  to  the  contrarv. 

On  the  third  of  September,  the  whole  tribe 
quitted  Nootka,  according  to  their  constant  prac- 
tice, in  order  to  pass  the  autumn  and  winter  at 
Tashees  and  Cooptee,  the  latter  lying  about  thirty 
miles  up  the  Sound  in  a  deep  bay,  the  navigation 
of  which  is  very  dangerous  from  the  great  number 


jewitt's  narrative. 


85 


y  these 

Dwer  in 

to  sell 

Y  solic- 

was  a 

Mufjui- 

ood 


le 


P    (T 


quite  a 
;orested 
ting  my 


ne 


,  and 
Iler 


1  in  sen- 
e  would 
for  a  de- 
ich  had 
IS  on,  as 
arricd,  a 
consld- 
Sbo 
line:  me 
lan   the 
le  more 
>od    and 
my  own 
isposed 
on  with 
vith  the 
g  all  she 

)le  tribe 
It  prac- 
rinter  at 
lit  thirty 
ivigation 
number 


ft 


of  reels  and  rocks  with  which  it  abounds.  On 
these  occasions  every  thing  is  taken  with  them, 
even  tlic  planks  of  their  houses,  in  order  to  cover 
their  new  dwellings.  To  an  European,  surh  a 
removal  exhibits  a  scene  quite  novel  and  strange: 
canoes  piled  up  with  boards  and  boxes,  and  filled 
with  meii,  women  and  cliildren  of  all  ranks  and 
sizes,  makiuci;  the  air  resouiul  with  their  cries  and 
songs.  At  these  times,  as  well  as  when  they  liave 
occasion  to  go  some  dista^n^e  tVom  their  houses, 
the  infjints  are  usually  suspended  across  the  moth- 
er's shoulders,  in  a  kind  of  cradle  or  hammock, 
formed  of  bark,  of  about  six  mches  in  depth,  and 
of  the  length  of  the  child,  by  means  of  a  leather 
band  inserted  through  loops  on  its  edges;  this  they 
also  keep  them  in  when  at  home,  in  order  to  pre- 
serve them  in  a  stra'  ht  position,  and  prevent  any 
distortion  of  the  limos,  most  probably  a  principal 
cause  of  these  people  being  so  seldom  deformed  or 
crooked. 

The  long  boat  of  our  ship  having  been  re- 
paired and  furnished  with  a  sail  by  Thom])son, 
Mafpiina  gave  us  the  direction  of  it,  we  bjing  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  managing  it  than  his  people, 
and  after  loading  her  as  deep  as  she  could  swim, 
we  proceeded  in  company  with  them  to  the  north, 
quittinn;  Nootka  with  heavy  hearts,  as  we  could 
entertain  no  hopes  of  release  until  our  return,  no 
ships  ever  coming  to  that  part  of  the  coast.  Pass- 
ing Cooptee,  which  is  situated  on  the  southern 
bank,  just  within  the  mouth  of  a  small  river  flow- 
ing from  the  east  in  a  narrow  valley  at  the  foot  of 
a  mountain,  we  proceeded  about  fifteen  miles  up 
this  stream  to  Tashees,  between  a  range  of  lofty 
ImIIs  on  each  side,  which  extend  a  great  distance 
m-luiid,   and  are  covered   with   the  finest  '^^'/f/. 


86 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I 

i 

i 

i 


trees  of  the  country.  Immediately  on  our  arrival 
we  all  went  to  work  very  diligently  in  covering  the 
houses  with  the  planks  we  had  brought,  the  frames 
being  ready  erected,  these  people  never  pretend- 
ing to  remove  the  timber.  In  a  very  short  time 
the  work  was  completed,  and  we  were  established 
in  our  new  residence. 

Tashees  is  pleasantly  situated  and  in  a  most  se- 
cure position  from  the  winter  storms,  in  a  sniall 
vale  or  hollow  on  the  south  shore,  at  the  foot  cf  a 
mountain.  The  spot  on  which  it  stands  is  level, 
and  the  soil  very  fine,  the  country  in  its  vicinity 
abounding  with  the  most  romantic  views,  charm- 
ingly diversified,  and  fine  streams  of  water  falling 
in  beautiful  cascades  from  the  mountains.  The 
river  at  this  place  is  about  twenty  rods  in  width, 
and  in  its  deepest  part,  from  nine  to  twelve  feet. 
This  village  is  the  extreme  point  of  navigation,  as 
immediately  beyond,  the  river  becomes  much  more 
shallow,  and  is  broken  into  rapids  and  falls.  The 
houses  here  are  placed  in  a  line  hke  those  at  Noot- 
ka,  but  closer  together,  the  situation  being  more 
confined  they  are  also  smaller,  in  consequence  ol 
which  we  were  much  crowded,  and  incommoded 
for  room. 

The  principal  object  in  coming  to  this  place,  is 
the  facility  it  aflx)rds  these  people  of  providing 
their  winter  stock  of  provisions,  which  consists 
principally  of  salmon,  and  the  spawn  of  that  fish; 
to  which  may  be  added  herring  dnd  sprats,  and 
herring  spawn.  The  latter,  however,  is  always 
procured  by  them  at  Nootka,  previous  to  their 
quitting  it.  At  the  seasons  of  spawning,  wl-  : 
are  early  in  the  spring  and  the  last  of  August,  uey 
collect  a  great  quantity  of  pine  branches,  which 
tliey  place  in  different  parts  of  the   Cove  at  the 


7 


\  I 


arrival 

•ing  the 

frames 

)retend- 

)rt  tim? 

blished 

Qost  se- 
a  small 
bot  cf  a 
level, 
vicinity 
charm- 
falling 
.     The 
width, 
\re  feet, 
tion,  as 
ch  more 
j.     The 
at  Noot- 
ig  more 
ence  ol 
nmoded 

3lace,  is 
rovidins; 
consists 
lat  fish; 
its,   and 

always 
to  their 

wV 
St,    i.ey 

w^hich 

at  the 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


87 


, 


) 


I  * 


depth  of  about  ten  feet  and  secure  them  by  means 
of  heavy  stones.  On  these  the  herring  deposit 
their  spawn  in  immense  quantities;  the  bushes  are 
then  taken  up,  the  spawn  stripped  from  the  branch- 
es, and  after  being  washed  and  freed  froLi  the 
pine  leaves  by  the  women,  is  dried  and  put  up  in 
baskets  for  use.  It  is  considered  as  their  greatest 
dehcacy,  and  eaten  both  cooked  and  raw:  in  the 
former  case,  being  boiled  and  eaten  with  train  oil, 
and  in  the  latter,  mixed  up  u  ith  cold  water  alone. 

The  salmon  are  taken  at  Tashees,  principally  in 
pots  or  wears.  .Their  method  of  taking  them  in 
wears  is  thus:— J-A  pot  of  twenty  feet  in  length, 
and  from  four  to' five  feet  diameter  at  the  mouth,  is 
formed  of  a  great  number  of  pine  splinters  which  are 
stronp;lv  secured,  an  inch  and  a  half  from  eachoth- 
er,  by  means  of  hoops  made  of  flexible  twigs,  anc 
placed  about  eight  inches  apart.  At  the  end  it 
tapers  almost  to  a  point,  near  which  is  a  small 
wicker  door,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  out  the  fish. 
This  pot  or  wear  is  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  fall  or 
rapid,  where  the  water  is  not  very  deep,  and  the 
fish  driven  from  above  with  long  poles,  are  inter- 
cepted and  caught  in  the  wear,  from  whence  they 
are  taken  into  the  canoes.  In  this  manner  I  have 
seen  more  than  seven  hundred  salmon  caught  in 
the  space  of  fifteen  minutes,  I  have  also  some- 
times known  a  few  of  the  striped  bass  taken  in  this 
manner  but  rarely. 

At  such  times  there  is  great  feasting  and  merri- 
ment among  them.  The  women  and  female  slaves 
being  busily  employed  in  cooking,  or  hi  curing 
the  fish  for  their  winter  stock,  which  is  done  by 
cutting  off  the  heads  and  tails,  splitting  them,  tak- 
ing out  the  back  bone,and  hanging  them  up  in 
their  houses  t      " 


'«.'■• 


% 


dry.     They  also  dry  the  halibut 


88 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


and  cod,  but  these  instead  of  curing  whole  they 
cut  up  into  small  pieces  for  that  purpose,  and  ex- 
pose to  the  sun.  The  spawn  of  the  salmon,  \\hich 
is  a  principal  article  of  their  provision,  they  take 
out,  and  without  any  other  preparation,  throw  it 
into  their  tubs,  where  they  leave  it  to  stand  and 
ferment,  for  though  tliey  frequently  eat  it  Cresh, 
they  esteem  it  much  more  when  it  has  acqiiiiod  a 
strong  taste,  and  one  of  the  greatest  favours  they 
can  confer  on  any  person,  is  to  invite  him  to  cat 
QuakamisSj  the  name  they  give  this  iboil,  though 
scarcely  any  thing  can  be  more  re])ugnant  to  a  Eu- 
roj)ean  palate,  than  it  is  in  this  state;  and  when- 
ever they  took  it  out  of  these  large  receptacles, 
which  they  are  always  careful  to  fdl,  such  was  the 
jtench  which  it  exhaled,  on  being  moved,  that  it 
uas  almost  impossible  for  me  to  abide  it,  even  af- 
ter habit,  had  in  a  great  degree  dulled  the  delicacy 
of  my  senses. — When  boiled  it  became  less  offen- 
sive, though  it  still  retained  much  of  the  putrid 
smell  and  something  of  the  taste. 

Such  is  the  immense  quantity  of  these  fish,  and 
they  are  taken  with  such  facility,  that  I  have  know^n 
upwards  of  twenty-five  hundred  brought  into  Ma- 
quina's  house  at  once,  and  at  one  of  their  great 
feasts,  have  seen  one  hundred  or  more  cooked  in 
one  of  their  largest  tubs. 

I  used  frequently  to  go  out  with  Maciuina  upon 
these  fishing  parties,  and  was  alwavs  sure  to  re- 
ceive a  handsome  present  of  salmon,  which  I  had 
the  privilege  of  caUing  mine;  I  also  went  with  him 
several  times  in  a  canoe,  to  strike  the  salmon, 
which  I  have  attempted  to  do  myself,  but  could 
never  succeed,  it  requiring  a  degree  of  adroitness 
that  T  did  not  possess.  I  was  also  permitted  to 
go  out  with  a  gun,  and  was  several  times  very  sue- 


I 


'itr^. 


K(.l^,^ 


-h 


f    t 


t  vo 


O'r 


jewitt's  narrative. 


89 


great 


a 


\ 


cessful  in  shooting  wild  ducks,  and  teal,  which 
are  very  numerous  here,  though  rather  shy.  These 
they  cooked  in  their  usual  manner,  by  boiling,  with- 
out any  farther  dressing  than  skinning  them.  In 
many  respects,  however,  our  situation  was  less 
pleasant  here  than  at  Nootka.  We  were  more 
incommoded  for  room,  the  houses  not  being  so  spa- 
cious, nor  so  well  arranged,  and  as  it  was  colder, 
we  were  compelled  to  be  much  more  within  doors. 
We  however,  did  not  neglect  on  Sundays,  when 
the  weather  would  admit,  to  retire  into  the  woods, 
and  by  the  side  of  some  stream,  after  bathing,  re- 
turn our  thanks  to  God  for  preserving  us,  and 
offer  up  to  him  our  customary  devotions.  1  was 
however,  very  apprehensive,  soon  after  our  arrival 
at  this  place,  that  I  should  be  deprived  of  the 
satisfaction  of  keeping  my  journal,  as  Maquina  one 
day  observing  me  writing  in  it,  enquired  of  me 
what  I  was  doing,  and  when  I  endeavoured  to  ex- 
plain it,  by  telling  him  that  I  was  keeping  an  account 
of  the  weather,  he  said  it  was  not  so,  and  that  I 
was  speaking  bad  about  him  and  telling  how  he 
had  takru  our  ship  and  killed  the  crew,  so  as  to 
mform  my  countrymen,  and  that  if  he  ever  saw 
me  writing  in  it  again,  he  would  throw  it  into  the 
fire.  I  was  much  rejoiced  that  he  did  no  more 
than  threaten,  and  became  very  cautious  afterwards 
not  to  let  him  see  me  write. 

Not  long  after  I  finished  some  daggers  for  him, 
which  I  polished  highly;  these  pleased  him  much, 
and  he  gave  me  directions  to  make  a  cheetoolth, 
in  which  I  succeeded  so  far  to  his  satisfaction, 
that  he  gave  me  a  present  of  cloth  suflicient  to 
make  me  a  complete  suit  of  raiment,  besides  other 
things.  Thompson,  also,  who  had  become  rather 
more  of  a  favourite  than  formerly,  since  he  had 


m 


90 


jewitt's  narrative. 


made  a  fine  sail  for  his  canoe,  and  some  garments 
for  him  out  of  European  cloth,  about  tliis  time 
completed  another,  which  was  thought  by  tlio  sav- 
ages II  most  su])erb  dress.  This  was  a  Kootsuk 
or  mantle,  a  falhom  square,  made  entirely  of  Eu- 
ropean vest  patterns  oi"  the  gayest  colours.  These 
were  sewed  togethw',  in  a  manner  to  make  the 
best  show,  and  bound  with  a  deej)  trinmiing  of  the 
finest  otter  skin,  with  which  the  arm-holes  were 
also  bordered;  while  tl^ie  bottom  was  farther  em- 
bellished with  five  or  six  rows  of  gilt  buttons,  pla- 
ced as  near  as  possible  to  each  other.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  pride  of  Maquina  when  he  first 
put  on  this  royal  robe,  decorated  like  the  coat  of 
Joseph,  with  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  and 
glittering  with  the  buttons,  which  as  he  strutted 
about  made  a  tinkling,  while  he  repeatedly  ex- 
claimed in  a  transport  of  exultation,  Klew  shish 
Katsuck — ivick  kum  atack  JSTootka,  A  fine  gar- 
ment— Nootka  cant  make  him. 

Maquina,  who  knew  that  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes 
who  came  to  visit  us,  had  endeavoured  to  persuade 
me  to  escape,  frequently  cautioned  me  not  to  listen 
to  them,  saying  that  should  I  make  the  attempt, 
and  he  were  to  take  me,  he  should  certainly  put 
me  to  death.  While  here  he  gave  me  a  book  in 
which  I  found  the  names  of  seven  persons  belong- 
ing to  the  ship  Manchester  of  Philadelphia,  Capt. 
Brian,  viz. — Daniel  Smith,  Lewis  Gillon,  James 
Tom,  Clark,  Jolinsbn,  Ben  and  Jack.  These 
men,  as  Maquina  informed  me,  ran  away  from  the 
ship,  and  came  to  him,  but  that  six  of  them  soon 
after  went  off  in  the  night,  with  an  intention  to  go 
to  the  Wickinninish,  but  were  stopped  by  tlie 
Esho'^'-tes,  and  sent  back  to  him,  and  that  he  or- 
aeied  them  to  be  put  to  death;  and  a  most  cruel 


\ 


I 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 


91 


;arments 
lis  lime 
llio  sav- 
Koolsuk 

of^  Ell- 
These 
akc  the 
g  of  the 
es  were 
ler  em- 
us, pla- 
Noihing 

he  first 
coat  of 
aw,  and 
strutted 
dly  ex- 
w  shish 
ine  gar- 

e  tribes 
ersuade 
to  listen 
ittempt, 
nly  put 
book  in 
belong- 

Capt. 

James 

These 
'om  the 
m  soon 
n  to  go 
by   tiie 

he  or- 
Bt  cruel 


■J 


iealh  it  was,  as  I  was  told  by  one  the  natives, 
our  men  holding  one  of  them  on  the  ground,  and 
forcing  open  his  nioulh,  while  they  choakcd  him 
by  rannning  stones  down  his  throat.  As  to  Jack  the 
boy,  who  made  no  attempt  to  go  off,  Maquina  after- 
wards sold  him  to  the  Wickimiinish.  I  was  in- 
formed by  the  princess  Yaqua^  that  he  was  quite  a 
small  boy,  who  cried  a  great  deal,  being  put  to 
hard  labour  beyond  his  strength  by  the  natives,  in 
cutting  wood  and  bringing  wat(M',  and  that  when 
he  heard  of  the  murder  of  our  crew,  it  had  such 
an  eflect  on  him  that  he  fell  sick  and  died  shortly 
after.  On  learning  the  melancholy  fate  of  this  un- 
fortunate lad,  it  again  awakened  in  my  bosom  those 
feelings  that  I  had  experienced  at  the  shocking 
death  of  my  poor  comrades. 

The  king  finding  that  I  was  desirous  of  learning 
their  language,  was  much  delighted,  and  took  great 
pleasure  in  conversing  with  me.  On  one  of  these 
occasions,  he  explained  to  me  his  reasons  for  cut- 
ting off  our  ship,  saying  that  he  bore  no  ill  will  to 
my  countrymen,  but  that  he  had  been  several  times 
treated  very  ill  by  them.  The  first  injury  of 
which  he  had  cause  to  complain,  was  done  him  by 
a  Captain  Tawnington,  who  commanded  a  schoon- 
er which  passed  a  winter  at  Friendly  Cove,  where 
he  w^as  well  treated  by  the  inhabitants.  This  man 
taking  advantage  of  Maquina 's  absence,  who  had 
gone  to  the  Wlckinninish  to  procure  a  w^ife,  armed 
himself  and  crew,  and  entered  the  house  where 
there  were  none  but  women,  whom  he  threw  into 
the  greatest  consternation,  and  searching  the 
chests,  took  away  all  the  skins,  of  which  Maqui- 
na had  no  less  than  forty  of  the  best;  and  that 
about  the  same  time,  four  of  their  chiefs  were  bar- 
barously killed  by  a  Captain  Martinez,  a  Spaniard. 


9d 


jewitt's  narrative. 


That  soon  after  Captain  Hanna,  of  the  Sea- Otter, 
in  conseqnence  of  one  of  the  natives  having  stolen 
a  chisel  from  the  carpenter,  fired  upon  their  ca- 
noes which  were  along  side,  and  killed  upwards 
of  twenty  of  the  natives,  of  whom  several  were 
Tyees  or  chiefs,  and  that  he  himself  being  on 
board  the  vessel,  in  order  to  escape  was  obliged 
to  leap  from  the  quarter  deck,  and  swim  for  a  long 
way  under  water. 


m    r. 


The  Sea  Otter  firing  upon  the  Natives. 

These  injuries  had  excited  in  the  breast  of  Ma- 
quina,  an  ardent  desire  of  revenge,  the  strongest 
passion  of  the  savage  heart,  and  though  many 
years  had  elapsed  since  their  commission,  still 
they  were  not  forgotten,  and  the  want  of  a  favoura- 
ble opportunity  alone  prevented  him  from  sooner 
avenging  them.  Unfortunately  for  us,  the  long 
wished  for  opportunity  at  length  presented  itself 
in  our  ship,  which  Maquina  finding  not  guarded 
with  the  usual  vigilance  of  the  North  West  Trad- 
ers, and  feeling  his  desire  of  revenge  rekindled  by 
the  insult  offered  by  Capt.  Salter,  formed  a  plan  for 


I 


JEWITT*S   NARRATIVE. 


93 


m. 


attacking,  and  on  his  return,  called  a  council  of 
his  chiefs,  and  connnunicatcd  it  to  iheni,  ac(jiiaint- 
ini:^  thcni  with  the;  inaiHi(;r  in  which  ho  had  hoeii 
treated.  No  less  desirous  of  aven^ini:;  this  aflVont 
olleied  iheir  klnij;,  than  the  former  injuries,  they 
rea(hly  at^recd  to  his  |)roj)osal,  which  was  to  goon 
hoard  without  arms  as  usual,  hut  under  diiTerent 
pretexts,  in  greater  numhers,  and  wait  his  signal 
for  the  moment  of  attacking  their  unsuspecting 
victims.  The  execution  of  this  scheme,  as  the 
reader  knows,  was  unhap[)ily  too  successful. — 
And  here  I  cannot  hut  indulge  a  reflection  that  has 
frc(piently  occurred  to  nie  on  the  manner  in  which 
our  peo{)le  hehave  towards  the  natives.  For 
though  they  are  a  thievish  race,  yet  I  have  no 
douht  that  many  of  the  melancholy  disasters  have 
principally  arisen  from  the  imprudent  conduct  of 
some  of  the  captains  and  crews  of  the  shij)s  em- 
ployed in  this  trade,  in  exasperating  them  hy  insult- 
ing, plundering,  and  even  killing  them  on  slight 
grounds.  This,  as  nothing  is  more  sacred  with  a  sav- 
age than  the  principle  of  revenge,  and  no  peoj)le  are 
so  impatient  under  insult,  indeces  them  to  wreak 
their  vengeance  upon  the  first  vessel  or  boat's  crew 
that  offers,  making  the  innocent  too  frequently  suffer 
for  the  wrongs  of  the  guilty,  as  few  of  diem  know 
to  discriminate  between  persons  of  the  same  general 
appearance,  more  especially  when  speaking  the 
same  language.  And  to  this  cause  do  I  believe,  must 
principally  be  ascribed  the  sanguinary  disposition 
with  which  these  people  are  reproached,  as  Ma- 
quina  repeatedly  told  me  that  it  was  not  his  wish  to 
hurt  a  white  man,  and  that  he  never  should  have  done 
it,  though  ever  so  much  in  his  power,  had  they 
not  injured  him.  And  were  the  commanders  of 
our  ships  to  treat  the  savages  with  rather  more 


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JEWITT*8  NARRATirfi. 


civility  than  they  sometimes  do,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  they  would  find  their  account  in  it;  not  that 
I  should  recommend  to  them  a  confidence  in  the 
good  faith  and  friendly  professions  of  these  people, 
so  as  in  any  degree  to  remit  their  vigilance,  but  on 
the  contrary,  to  be  strictly  on  their  guard,  and 
suffer  but  a  very  few  of  them  to  come  on  board 
the  ship,  and  admit  not  many  of  their  canoes  along 
side  at  a  time;  a  precaution  that  would  have  been 
the  means  of  preventing  some  of  the  unfortunate 
events  that  have  occurred,  and  if  attended  to, 
may  in  future,  preserve  many  a  valuable  life. 
Such  a  regulation  too,  from  what  I  know  of  their 
disposition  and  wants,  would  produce  no  seri«us 
difficulty  in  trading  with  the  savages,  and  they 
would  soon  become  perfectly  reconciled  to  it. 

Among  the  provisions  which  the  Indians  pro- 
cure at  Tashees,  I  must  not  omit  mentioning  a 
fruit  that  is  very  important,  as  forming  a  great  ar- 
ticle of  their  food.  This  is  what  is  called  by  them 
the  Yama,  a  species  of  berry  that  grows  in  bunch- 
es like  currants,  upon  a  bush  from  two  to  three 
feet  high,  with  a  large,  round  and  smooth  leaf. 
This  berry  is  black,  and  about  the  size  of  a  pistol 
shot,  but  of  rather  an  oblong  shape,  and  open  at 
the  top  like  the  blue  whortleberry.  The  taste  is 
sweet  but  a  little  acrid,  and  when  first  gathered,  if 
6aten  in  any  great  quantity,  especially  without  oil,  is 
apt  to  produce  cholics.  To  procure  it,  large 
companies  of  women  go  out  on  the  mountains,  ac- 
companied by  armed  men,  to  protect  them  against 
wild  beasts,  where  they  frequently  remain  for  sev- 
eral days,  kindling  a  fire  at  night,  and  sheltering 
themselves  under  sheds  constructed  of  boughs. 
At  these  parties,  they  collect  great  quantities.  I 
have  known  Maquina*s  queen  and  her  women  re- 


^ 


3^-.# 


JEW^TT  S  NARRATIVE. 


95 


turn  Ibided,  bringing  with  them  upwards  of  twelve 
bushels.  In  order  to  preserve  it,  it  is  pressed  in 
the  bunches  between  two  planks,  and  dried  and 
put  away  in  baskets  for  use.  It  is  always  eaten 
with  oil. 

Of  berries  of  various  kinds,  such  as  strawber- 
ries, rasp-berries,  black-berries,  &c.  there  are 
great  quantities  in  the  country,  of  which  the  natives 
are  very  fond,  gathering  them  in  their  seasons,  and 
eating  them  with  oil,  but  the  yama  is  the  onl;-  one 
that  they  preserve. 

Fish  is,  however,  their  great  article  of  focd,  as 
almost  all  the  others,  excepting  the  yama,  may  be 
considered  as  accidental. — They  nevertheless  are 
far  from  disrelishing  meat,  for  instance,  venison  and 
bear's  flesh.  With  regard  to  the  latter,  they  have 
a  most  singular  custom,  which  is,  that  any  one 
who  eats  of  it  is  obliged  to  abstain  from  eating  any 
kind  of  fresh  fish  whatever,  for  the  term  of  two 
months,  as  they  have  a  superstitious  belief,  that 
should  any  of  their  people  after  tasting  bear's 
flesh,  eat  of  fresh  salmon,  cod,  &c.  the  fish,  though 
at  ever  so  great  a  distance  off,  would  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  it,  and  be  so  much  ofl^ended  thereat, 
as  not  to  allow  themselves  to  be  taken  by  any  of  the 
inhabitants.  This  I  had  an  opportunity  of  obser- 
ving while  at  Tashees,  a  bear  having  been  killed 
early  in  December,  of  which  not  more  than  ten 
of  the  natives  would  eat,  being  prevented  by  the 
prohibition  annexed  to  it,  which  also  was  the  rea- 
son of  my  comrade  and  myself  not  tasting  it,  on 
being  told  by  M aquina  the  consequence. 

As  there  is  something  quite  curious  in  their  man- 
agement of  tins  >animal,  when  they  have  killed  one, 
I  shall  give  a  description  of  it.  After  well  cleans- 
ing the  bear  (rom  the  dirt  and  blood,  with  which 


\ 


li     VA 


V^ 


V 


96 


jtewitt's  narrative. 


it  is  generally  covered  when  killed,  it  is  brought 
in  and  seated  opposite  the  king  in  an  upriglit  pos- 
ture, with  a  chief's  bonnet,  wrought  in  figures  on 
its  head,  and  its  fur  powdered  over  with  ihe  white 
down.  A  tray  of  provision  is  then  set  before  it, 
and  it  is  invited  by  words  and  gestures  to  eat. 
This  mock  ceremony  over,  the  reason  of  which  I 
could  never  learn,  the  animal  is  taken  and  skin- 
ned, and  the  flesh  and  entrails  boiled  up  into  a 
soup,  no  part,  but  the  paunch  being  rejected. 


Thompson  and  one  of  the  Indians  shooting  a  Bear. 

This  dressing  the  bear  as  they  call  it,  is  an  oc- 
casion of  great  rejoicing  throughout  the  village, 
all  the  inhabitants  being  invited  to  a  great  feast  at 
the  king's  house,  though  but  few  of  them,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  penalty,  will  venture  to  eat  of  the 
flesh,  but  generally  content  themselves  with  their 
favourite  dish  of  herring  spawn  and  water.  The 
feast  on  this  occasion  was  closed  by  a  dance  from 
Sat-sat'Sak'siSy  in  the  manner  I  have  already  de- 
scribed, in  the  course  of  which  he  repeatedly  shifted 
his  mask  for  another  of  a  different  form. 

A  few  days  after  a  second  bear  was  taken  like 


oc- 

t  at 
on- 
the 
eir 
he 
om 
k- 


ke 


jewitt's  narrative. 


y/ 


the  former,  by  means  of  a  trap.  This  I  had  the 
curiosity  to  go  and  see  at  the  place  where  it  was 
caught,  which  was  in  the  following  manner.  On 
the  edge  of  a  small  stream  of  water  in  the  moun- 
tains, which  the  salmon  ascend,  and  near  the 
spot  where  the  bear  is  accustomed  to  watch  for 
them,  which  is  known  by  its  track,  a  trap  or  box 
about  the  heighth  of  a  man's  head  is  built  of  posts 
and  planks  with  a  flat  top,  on  which  are  laid  a 
number  of  large  stones  or  rocks.  The  top  and 
sides  are  then  carefully  covered  with  turf,  so  as  to 
resemble  a  little  mound,  and  wholly  to  exclude  the 
light,  a  narrow  entrance  of  the  height  of  the  build- 
ing only  being  left,  just  sufficient  to  admit  the 
head  and  shoulders  of  the  beast.  On  the  inside, 
to  a  large  plank  that  covers  the  top,  is  suspended 
by  a  strong  cord  a  salmon,  the  plank  being  left 
loose  so  that  a  forcible  pull  will  bring  it  down. 
On  coming  to  its  usual  haunt,  the  bear  enters  the 
trap,  and  in  endeavouring  to  pull  away  the  fish, 
brings  down  the  whole  covering  with  its  load  of 
stones  upon  its  head,  and  is  almost  always  crushed 
to  death  on  the  spot,  or  so  wounded  as  to  be  un- 
able to  escape.  They  are  always  careful  to  ex- 
amine these  traps  every  day,  in  order  if  a  bear  be 
caught,  to  bring  it  away,  and  cook  it  immediately, 
for  it  is  not  a  little  singular,  that  these  people  will 
eat  no  kind  of  meat  that  is  in  the  least  tainted,  or 
not  perfectly  fresh,  while,  on  the  contrary,  it  is 
hardly  possible  for  fish  to  be  in  too  putrid  a  sW  ^ 
for  them,  and  I  have  frequently  known  them  w^hen 
a  whale  has  been  driven  ashore,  bring  pieces  of  it 
home  with  them  in  a  state  of  ofFensiveness  insup- 
portable to  any  thing  but  a  crow,  and  devour  it 
with  high  relish,  considering  it  as  preferable  to  that 
which  is  fresh. 

9 


\  %■  >  ifi^ 


i-n 


98 


jewitt's  narrative. 


On  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  December,  com- 
menced what  appeared  to  us  a  most  singular  farce. 
Apparently  without  any  previous  notice,  Maquina 
discharp;ed  a  pistol  close  to  his  son's  ear,  who  im- 
mediately fell  down  as  if  killed,  upon  which  all  the 
women  of  the  house  set  up  a  most  lamentable  cry, 
tearing  handfulls  of  hair  from  their  heads,  and  ex- 
claiming that  the  prince  was  dead,  at  the  same  time 
a  great  number  of  the  inhabitants,  rushed  intc-  the 
house  armed  with  their  daggers,  muskets,  &c.  en- 
quiring the  cause  of  their  outcry;  these  were  im- 
mediately followed  by  two  others  dressed  in  wolf 
skins,  with  masks  over  their  faces  representing  the 
head  of  that  animal;  the  latter  came  in  on  their 
hands  and  feet  in  the  manner  of  a  beast,  and  taking 
up  the  prince  carried  him  off  upon  their  backs, 
retiring  in  the  same  manner  they  entered.  We 
saw  nothing  more  of  the  ceremony,  as  Maquina 
came  to  us,  and  giving  us  a  quantity  of  dried  pro- 
vision, ordered  us  to  quit  the  house  and  not  return 
to  the  village  before  the  expiration  of  seven  days, 
for  that  if  we  appeared  within  that  period,  he  should 
kill  us. 

At  any  other  season  of  the  year  such  an  order 
would  by  us  have  been  considered  as  an  indul- 
gence, in  enabling  us  to  pass  our  time  in  whatever 
way  we  wished,  and  even  now,  furnished  as  we 
were,  with  sufficient  provision  for  that  term,  it 
was  not  very  unpleasant  to  us,  more  particularly 
Thompson,  who  was  always  desirous  to  keep  as 
much  as  possible  out  of  the  society  and  sight  of 
the  natives,  whom  he  detested.  Taking  with  us 
our  provisions,  a  bundle  of  clothes,  and  our  axes, 
we  obeyed  the  directions  of  Maquina,  and  w^ith- 
drew  into  the  woods,  where  we  built  ourselves  a 
cabin  to  shelter  us 9  with  the  branches  of  trees,  and 


L. 


A 


\' 


L/ 


jewitt's  narrative. 


99 


keeping  up  a  good  fire,  secured  ourselves  pretty 
well  from  the  coli.  Here  we  passed  the  prescrib- 
ed period  of  our  exile,  with  more  content  than 
much  of  the  time  while  with  them,  employing  the 
day  in  reading  and  praying  for  our  release,  or  in 
rambling  around  and  exploring  the  country,  the 
soil  of  which  we  found  to  be  very  good,  and  the 
face  of  it,  beautifully  diversified  with  hills  and  val- 
leys, refreshed  with  the  finest  streams  of  water, 
and  at  night  enjoyed  connfortable  repose  upon  a 
bed  of  soft  leaves,  with  our  garments  spread  over 
us  to  protect  us  from  the  cold. 

At  the  end  of  seven  days  we  returned  and  found 
several  of  the  poeple  of  A-i-tiz-zart  with  their 
king  or  chief  at  Tashees,  who  had  been  invited 
by  Maquina  to  attend  the  close  of  this  performance, 
which  I  now  learn  was  a  celebration,  held  by  them 
annually,  in  honour  of  their  God,  whom  they  call 
Quahootzc^  to  return  him  their  thanks  for  his  past, 
and  implore  his  future  favours.  It  terminated  on 
the  21st,  the  day  after  our  return,  with  a  most  ex- 
traordinary exhibition.  Three  men,  each  of 
whom  had  two  bayonets  run  through  his  sides, 
between  the  ribs,  apparently  regardless  of  the  pain, 
traversed  the  room,  backwards  and  forwards,  sing- 
ing war  songs,  and  exulting  in  this  display  of 
firmness . 

On  the  arrival  of  the  25th,  we  could  not  but 
call  to  mind,  that  this  being  Christmas,  was  in  our 
country  a  day  of  the  greatest  festivity,  when  our 
fellow  countrymen  assembled  in  their  churches, 
were  celebrating  the  goodness  of  God,  and  the 
praises  of  the  Saviour.  What  a  reverse  did  our 
situation  offer — captives  in  a  savage  land,  and  slaves 
to  a  set  of  ignorant  beings  unacquainted  with  religion 
or  humanity,  liardly  were  we  permitted  to  offer  up 


« .w 


■^77" 


r 


100 


jewitt's  narrative. 


our  devotions  by  ourselves  in  the  woods,  while  we 
felt  even  grateful  for  this  privilege.  Thither  with  the 
king's  permission,  we  withdrew,  and  after  reading 
the  service  appointed  for  the  day,  sung  the  hymn  of 
the  Nativity,  fervently  praying  that  heaven  in  its 
goodness,  would  permit  us  to  celebrate  the  next 
festival  of  this  kind  in  some  Christian  land.  On  our 
return,  in  order  to  conform  as  much  as  was  in  our 
power  to  the  custom  of  our  country,  we  were  de- 
sirous of  having  a  bettei  supper  than  usual.  With 
this  view  we  bought  from  one  of  the  natives, 
some  dried  clams  and  oil,  and  a  root  called  A7e/- 
«M/),  which  we  cooked  by  steaming,  and  found  it 
very  palatable.  Tliis  root  consists  of  many  fibres, 
of  about  six  inches  long,  and  of  the  size  of  a  crow 
quill.  It  is  sweet,  of  an  agreeable  taste,  not  un- 
like the  Qwanoosc,  and  it  is  eaten  with  oil.  The 
plant  that  produces  it  I  have  never  seen. 

On  the  3 1  St,  all  the  tribe  quitted  Tashees  for 
Cooptee,  whither  they  go  to  pass  the  remainder 
of  the  winter,  and  complete  their  fishing,  taking 
off  every  thing  with  them  in  the  same  manner  as  at 
Nootka.  We  arrived  in  a  few  hours  at  Cooptee, 
which  is  about  fifteen  miles,  and  immediately  set 
about  covering  the  houses,  which  was  soon  com- 
pleted. 

This  place,  which  is  their  great  herring  and 
sprat  fishery,  stands  just  within  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  on  the  same  side  with  Tashees,  in  a  very 
narrow  valley  at  the  foot  of  a  high  mountain. 
Though  nearly  as  secure  as  Tashees  from  the  win- 
ter storms,  it  is  by  no  means  so  pleasantly  situa- 
ted, though  to  us  it  was  a  much  more  agreeable 
residence,  as  it  brought  us  nearer  Nootka,  where  we 
were  impatient  to  return,  in  hopes  of  finding  some 
vessel  there,  or  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  ene  near. 


jewitt's  narrative. 


101 


The  first  snow  that  fell  this  season,  was  the  day 
after  our  arrival,  on  New- Years  ;  a  day  that  like 
Christmas,  brought  with  it,  painful  reccollections, 
but  at  the  same  time  led  us  to  indulge  the  hope  of 
a  more  fortunate  year  than  the  last. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  January, 
Ma(juina  took  me  with  him  in  his  canoe  on  a  visit 
to  (Jpquesta^  chief  of  the  A-i-tiz-zarts,  who  had 
invited  him  to  attend  an  exhibition  at  his  village, 
similar  to  the  one  with  which  he  had  been  enter- 
tained at  Tashees.  This  place  is  between  twen- 
ty and  thirty  miles  distant  up  the  sound,  and  stands 
on  the  banks  of  a  small  river  about  the  size  of  that 
of  Cooptee,  just  within  its  entrance,  in  a  valley  of 
much  greater  extent  than  that  of  Tashees  ;  it  con- 
sists of  fourteen  or  fifteen  houses,  built  and  dis- 
posed in  the  manner  of  those  at  Nootka.  The 
tribe,  which  is  considered  as  tributary  to  Maqui- 
nn,  amounts  to  about  three  hundred  warriors,  and 
the  inhabitants,  both  men  and  women,  are  among 
the  best  looking  of  any  people  on  the  coast. 

On  our  arrival  we  were  received  at  the  shore  bv 
the  inhabitants,  a  few  of  whom  were  armed  with 
muskets,  which  they  fired,  with  loud  shouts  and 
exclamations  of  Wocash^  wocash. 

We  were  welcomed  by  the  chiefs  messenger, 
or  master  of  ceremonies,  dressed  in  his  best  gar- 
ments, with  his  hair  powdered  with  white  down, 
and  holding  in  his  hand  the  cheetoolth,  the  badge 
of  his  office.  This  man  preceded  us  to  the  chiePs 
house,  where  he  introduced  and  pointed  out  to  us 
our  respective  seats.  On  entering,  the  visitors 
took  off  their  hats,  which  they  always  wear  on 
similar  occasions,  and  Maquina  his  outer  robes,  of 
which  he  has  several  on  whenever  he  pays  a  visit, 

and  seated  himself  near  the  chief.     As  I  was  dress- 

9* 


f 


102 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


ed  in  European  clothes  I  became  quite  an  o})]e'^t 
of  curiosity  to  these  people,  very  few  of  whom 
had  ever  seen  a  white  man.  They  crowded  around 
me  in  numbers,  taking  hold  of  my  clothes,  exain- 

^  ining  my  face,  hands  and  feet,  and  even  open- 
ing my  mouth  to  see  if  I  had  a  tongue^  for  not- 
withstanding I  had  by  this  time  become  well  nr- 
quainted    with    their   language,    I   preserved     the 

i^,  strictest  silence,  Macpiina  on  our  first  landing  luiv- 
ing  enjoined  me  not  to  speak,  until  he  should  di- 
rect. Having  undergone  this  examination  for  some 
time,  Maquina  at  length  made  a  sign  to  me  to  spo.ik 
to  them.  On  hearing  me  address  them  in  their 
own  language,   they  were  greatly   astonished  and 

\         delighted,  and  told   Maquina    diat  they  now   por- 
\         ceived  that  I  was  a  man  like  themselves,  except 
'         that  I  was  white  and  looked  like  a  seal,  alluding  to 
my   blue  jacket  and  trowsers,  which  tliey  wanted 
{       3rsuade  me  to  take   off,  as  thev  did  not  like 
\.in^iC  appearance.     Maquina  in  the  mean  time  gave 
an  account  to  the  chief,  of  the  scheme  he   had 
j      formed  for  surprising  our  ship,  and  the  manner  in 
i      which  he  and  his  people  had  carried  it  into  execu- 
tion, with  such  particular  and  horrid  details  of  that 
transaction  as  chilled  the  blood  in  my  veins.     Trays 
of  boiled  herring  spawn  and  train  oil  were  soon  af- 
ter brought   in  and  placed   before   us,  neither   the 
chief  or  any  of  his  people  eating  at  the  same  time, 
it  being  contrary  to  the  ideas  of  hospitality  enter- 

**  tained  by  these  nations,  to  eat  any  part  of  the  food 
that  is  provided  for  strangers,  always  waiting 
until  their  visitors  have  finished,  before  they  have 
their  own  brought  in. 

The  following  day  closed  their  festival  with  an 
exhibition  of  a  similar  kind,  to  that  which  had  been 
civo.i  at  Tashees,  but  still  more  cruel,  the  different 


jewitt's  narrative. 


103 


tnbes  appearing  on  these  occasions  to  endeavour  to 
surpass  eacli  other,  in  their  proofs  of  fortitude  and 
endurance  of  pain.  In  the  morning  twenty  men 
entered  the  chiefs  house,  with  each  an  arrow  run 
throuij;h  the  flesh  of  his  sides,  and  either  arm,  with 
a  cord  fastened  to  tlie  end,  which  as  the  performers 
advanced,  singing  and  boasting,  was  forcibly  drawn 
back  by  a  person  having  hold  of  it.  After  this 
performance  was  closed  we  returned  to  Cooptee, 
which  we  reached  at  midnight,  our  men  keeping 
time  widi  their  songs  to  the  stroke  of  their  pad- 
dles. 

The  natives  now  began  to  take  the  herring  and 
bprat  in  immense  quantities,  with  some  salmon, 
and  there  was  nothing  but  feasting  from  morning 
till  night.  The  following  is  the  method  they  em- 
ploy to  take  the  herring.  A  stick  of  about  seven 
feet  long,  two  inches  broad,  and  half  an  inch  thick, 
is  formed  from  some  hard  wood,  one  side  of  which 
is  set  with  sharp  teeth,  made  from  wliale  bone,  at 
about  half  an  inch  apart.  Provided  with  this  in- 
strument, tlie  fisherman  seats  himself  in  the  prow 
of  a  canoe,  which  is  paddled  by  another,  and  when- 
ever he  comes  to  a  shoal  of  herring,  which  cover 
the  water  in  great  quantities,  he  strikes  it  with 
both  hands  upon  them,  and  at  the  same  moment 
turning  it  up,  brings  it  over  the  side  of  the  canoe, 
into  which  he  lets  those  that  are  taken  drop.  It  is 
astonishing  to  see  how  miuiy  are  caught  by  those 
who  are  dexterous  at  this  khid  of  fishing,  as  they 
seldom  fail  when  the  shoals  are  numerous,  of  tak- 
ing as  many  as  ten  or  twelve  at  a  stroke,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  will  fill  a  canoe  with  them.  Sprats 
are  likewise  caught  in  a  similar  manner. 

About  the  beginning  of  February,  Maquina  gave  a 
great  feast,  at  which  were  present  not  only  all  the 


104 


jewitt's  narrative. 


inhabitants,  but  one  hundred  persons  from  A-i« 
tiz-zart,  and  a  number  from  Wickinninish,  who 
had  been  invited  to  attend  it.  It  is  customary  with 
them  to  give  an  tmnual  entertainment  of  this  kind, 
and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  what  a  quantity  of  pro- 
vision is  expended,  or  rather  wnsted  on  such  an 
occasion,  when  tlicy  ahvays  eat  to  the  greatest  ex- 
cess. It  was  at  this  feast  that  I  saw  upwards  ol 
a  hundred  salmon  cooked  in  one  tub.  The  whole 
residence  at  Cooptee  presents  an  almost  uninter- 
rupted succession  of  feasting  and  gormondizing, 
and  it  would  seem  as  if  the  principal  object  of  these 
people  was  to  consume  their  whole  stock  of  pro- 
vision before  leaving  it,  trusting  entirely  to  their 
success  in  fishing  .nd  whaling,  for  a  supply  at 
Nootka. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  w^e  quitted  Cooptee, 
and  returned  to  Nootka.  With  much  joy  did 
Thompson  and  myself  again  find  ourselves  in  a  place, 
where  notwithstanding  the  melancholy  recollections 
which  it  excited,  we  hoped  before  long  to  see  some 
vessel  arrive  to  our  relief;  and  for  this  we  became 
the  more  solicitous,  as  of  late  we  had  become  much 
more  apprehensive  of  our  safety  in  consequence  of 
information  brought  Maquina  a  few  days  before 
we  left  Cooptee,  by  some  of  the  Cayuquets,  that 
there  were  twenty  ships  at  the  northward  prepar- 
ing to  come  against  him,  with  an  intention  of  des- 
troying him  and  his  whole  tribe,  for  cutting  off  the 
Boston.  This  story  which  was  wholly  without 
foundation,  and  discovered  afterwards  to  have  been 
invented  by  these  people,  for  the  purpose  of  disqui- 
eting him,  threw  him  into  great  alarm,  and  notwith- 
standing all  I  could  say  to  convince  him  that  it 
was  an  unfounded  report,  so  great  was  his  jealousy 
of  us.  especially  after  it  had  been  con6rraed  to* 


V     1 


JEWITT  8  NARRATIVE. 


105 


10 


A 


him  by  some  others  o!  the  same  nation,  that  he 
treated  us  with  much  harshness,  and  kept  a  very 
suspicious  eye  upon  us.  Nothing  indeed  could 
be  more  unpleasant  than  our  present  situation, 
w  hen  I  reflected  that  our  lives  were  altogether  de- 
pendent on  the  will  of  a  savage,  on  \yhose  caprice 
and  suspicions  no  rational  calculation  could  be 
made. 

Not  long  after  our  return,  a  son  of  Maquina*s 
sister,  a  boy  about  eleven  years  old,  who  had  been 
for  some  time  declining,  died.  Immediately  on 
his  death,  which  was  about  midnight,  all  the  men 
and  women  in  the  house,  stt  up  loud  cries  and 
shrieks,  which  awakening  rhompson  and  myself, 
so  disturbed  us  that  \.e  left  the  house.  This 
lamentation  was  kept  up  during  the  remainder  of 
the  night.  In  the  morning,  a  great  fire  was  kin- 
dled, in  which  Maquina  burned  in  honour  of  the  de- 
ceased, ten  fathoms  of  cloth,  and  buried  with  him 
ten  fathoms  more,  eight  of  I-whaw,  four  prime 
sea  otter  skins,  and  two  small  tnaiks,  containing  our 
unfortunate  captain's  clothes  and  watch.  This 
boy  was  considered  as  a  Tyee  or  chief,  being  the 
only  son  of  Tootoosch^  one  of  their  principal 
chiefs,  who  had  married  Maquina's  sislerj  whence 
arose  this  ceremony  on  his  interment;  it  being  an 
established  custom  with  these  people,  that  when- 
ever a  chief  dies,  his  most  valuable  property  is 
burned  or  buried  with  him;  it  is,  however,  wholly 
confined  to  the  chiefs,  and  appears  to  be  a  mark 
of  honour  appropriate  to  them  In  this  instance 
Maquina  furnished  the  articles,  m  order  that  his 
niiphew  might  have  the  proper  honours  rendered 
him.  Tootoosch  his  father  was  esteemed  the  first 
warrior  of  the  tribe,  and  was  one  who  hid  been 
particularly  active  in  the   destruction  of  our  sliip, 


4  ^ 


'tv^   UCv-^  '^Y^^X. 


\« 


f^*. 


f' 


C     A.  ^         » 


1     'J- 


1 


06 


jewitt's  narrative. 


naving  killed  two  of  our  poor  comrades,  who  were 
ashore,  whose  names  were  Hall  and  Wood. 
About  the  time  of  our  removal  to  Tashees,  while 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  highest  health,  he  was 
suddenly  seized  with  a  fit  of  delirium,  in  which 
he  fancied  that  he  saw  the  ghosts  of  those  two  men 
constantly  standing  by  him,  and  threatening  him, 
so  that  he  would  take  no  food,  except  what  was 
forced  into  his  mouth.  A  short  time  before  this, 
he  had  lost  a  daughter  of  about  fifteen  years  of 
age,  which  afflicted  him  greatly,  and  whether  his 
insanity,  a  disorder  very  uncommon  amongst  these 
savages,  no  instance  of  the  kind  having  occurred 
within  the  memory  of  the  oldest  man  amongst 
them,  proceeded  from  this  cause,  or  that  it  was 
the  special  interposition  of  an  all  merciful  God  in 
our  favour,  who  by  this  means  thought  proper  to 
induce  these  barbarians  still  farther  to  respect  our 
lives,  or  that  for  hidden  purposes,  the  Supreme 
Disposer  of  events,  sometimes  permits  the  spirits 
of  the  dead  .to  revisit  the  world,  and  haunt  the 
murderer  I  know  not,  but  his  mind  from  tliis  period 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  but  a  few  weeks 
after  that  of  his  son  was  incessantly  occupied  with 
the  images  of  the  men  whom  he  had  killed.  This 
circumstance  made  much  impression  upon  the  tribe, 
particularly  the  chiefs,  whose  uniform  opposition 
to  putting  us  to  death,  at  the  various  councils  that 
were  held  on  our  account,  I  could  not  but  in  part 
attribute  to  this  cause,  and  Maquinaused  frequent- 
y  in  speaking  of  Tootoosch's  sickness,  to  express 
much  satisfaction  that  his  hands  had  not  been 
stained  with  the  blood  of  any  of  our  men.  When 
Maquina  was  first  informed  by  his  sister,  of  the 
strange  conduct  of  her  husband,  he  immediately 
went  to  his  house,  taking  us  with  him;  3us»^c<.t.*.Q 


jewitt's  narrative, 


107 


that  his  disease  had  been  caused  by  us,  and  that  the 
ghosts  of  our  countrymen  had  been  called  thither  by 
us,  to  torment  hina.  We  found  him  raving  about 
Hall  and  Wood,  saying  that  they  were  peshak^ 
that  is  bad.  Maquina  then  placed  some  provision 
before  him  to  see  if  he  would  eat.  On  perceiv- 
ing it,  he  put  forth  his  hand  to  take  some,  but  in- 
stantly withdrew  it  with  signs  of  horror,  saying 
that  Hall  and  Wood  were  there,  and  would  not 
let  him  eat.  Maquina  then  pointing  to  us,  asked 
if  it  was  not  John  and  Thompson  who  troubled 
him.  Wik^  he  replied,  that  is,  no,  John  klush- 
ish — Thompson  klushish — John  and  Thompson 
are  both  good;  then  turning  to  me,  and  patting  me 
on  the  shoulder,  he  made  signs  to  me  to  eat.  I 
tried  to  persuade  him  that  Hall  and  Wood  were 
n^t  there,  and  that  none  were  near  him  but  our- 
selves: he  said,  I  know  very  well  you  do  not  see 
them,  but  I  do.  At  first  Maquina  endeavoured  to 
convince  him  that  he  saw  nothing,  and  to  laugh 
him  out  of  his  belief,  but  finding  that  all  was  to  no 
purpose,  he  at  length  became  serious,  and  asked 
me  if  I  had  ever  seen  any  one  affected  in  this 
manner,  and  what  was  the  matter  with  him.  I 
gave  him  to  understand,  pointing  to  his  head,  that 
his  brain  was  injured,  and  that  he  did  not  see 
things  as  formerly.  Be*  ^  convinced  by  Too- 
toosch's  conduct,  that  we  had  no  agency  in  his 
indisposition,  on  our  return  home,  Maquina  asked 
^jfTie  what  was  done  in  my  country  in  similar  cases. 
1 1  told  him  that  such  persons  were  closely  confin- 
'^d,  and  sometimes  tied  up  and  whipped,  in  order 
to  make  them  better.  After  pondering  for  some 
time,  he  said  that  he  should  be  glad  to  do  any 
thing  to  relieve  him,  and  that  he  should  be  whip- 
ped>  and  immediately  gave  orders  to  some  of  his 


1 


\ 


I 


! 


108 


JEWITT  S  If  ARRAnVE. 


t(,« 


yi 


y 


i  \^ 


men,  to  go  to  Tootoosch*s  house,  bind  him,  and 
bring  him  to  his,  in  order  to  undergo  the  op- 
eration. Thompson  was  the  person  selected  to 
administer  this  remedy,  which  he  imdertook  very 
readily,  and  for  that  purpose  provided  himself  with 
a  good  number  of  spruce  branches,  with  which  he 
whipped  him  most  severely,  laying  it  on  with  the 
best  will  imaginable,  while  Tootoosch  displayed 
the  greatest  rage,  kicking,  spitting,  and  attempting 
to  bite  all  who  came  near  him.  This  was  too  much 
for  Maquina,  who,  at  length,  unable  to  endure  it 
longer,  ordered  Thompson  to  desist,  and  Tootoosch 
to  be  carried  back,  saying  that  if  there  was  no 
other  way  of  curing  him  but  by  whipping,  he  must 
remain  mad.    7 

The  application  of  the  whip  produced  no  bene- 
ficial effect  on  Tootoosch,  for  he  afterwards  became 
still  more  deranged ;  in  his  fits  of  fury  sometimes 
seizing  a  club,  and  beating  his  slaves  in  a  most 
dreadful  manner,  and  striking  and  spitting  at  all  who 
came  near  him,  till  at  length  his  wife  no  longer 
daring  to  remain  in  the  house  with  him,  came  with 
her  son  to  Maquina's. 

""TTET  whaling  season  now  commenced,  and  Ma- 
quina was  out  almost  every  day  in  his  canoe  in 
pursuit  of  them,  but  for  a  considerable  time,  with 
no  success,  one  day  breaking  the  staff  of  his  har- 
poon, another,  after  having  been  a  long  time  fast 
to  a  whale  and  the  weapon  drawing,  owing  to  the 
breaking  of  the  shell  which  formed  its  point,  with 
several  such  like  accidents,  arising  from  the  im- 
peridction  of  the  instrument.  At  these  times  he 
always  returned  very  morose  and  out  of  te^^per, 
upbraiding  his  men  with  having  violated  their  ob- 
ligation to  continence  preparatory  to  whaling.  In 
this  state  of  ill  humor,  he  woula  give  us  very  lit- 


\ 


JEWITT'S  NARRATIVE. 


109 


La- 
in 
[ith 
lar- 
tast 
the 
lith 

ler, 
)b. 
lln 
Lt- 


tle  to  eat,  which  added  to  the  women  not  coolc- 
mg  when  the  men  are  away,  reduced  us  to  very 
low  fare. 

In  consequence  of  the  repeated  occurrence  of 
similar  accidents,  I  proposed  to  Maquina  to  make 
him  a  harpoon  or  foregangerof  steel,  which  would 
be  less  liable  to  fail  him.  The  idea  pleased  him, 
and  in  a  short  time  I  completed  one  for  him,  with 
which  he  was  much  delighted,  and  the  very  next 
day  went  out  to  make  trial  of  it.  He  succeeded 
with  it  in  taking  a  whale.  Great  was  the  joy 
throughout  the  village  as  soon  as  it  was  known 
that  the  king  had  secured  the  whale,  by  notice 
from  a  person  stationed  at  the  head-land  in  the  off- 
ing. All  the  canoes  were  immediately  launched, 
and,  furnished  with  harpoons  and  seal  skin  floats, 
hastened  to  assist  in  buoying  it  up  and  in  towing  it 
in.  The  bringing  in  of  this  fish  exhibited  a  scene 
of  universal  festivity.  As  soon  as  the  canoes  ap- 
peared at  the  mouth  of  the  cove,  those  on  board 
of  them  singing  a  song  of  triumph  to  a  slow  air,  to 
which  they  kept  time  with  their  paddles,  all  who 
were  on  shore,  men,  women,  and  children,  mount- 
ed the  roofs  of  their  houses,  to  congratulate  the 
king  on  his  success,  drumming  most  furiously  on 
the  planks,  and  exclaiming  Wocash — wocash  Tyee. 

The  wh{de  on  being  drawn  on  shore,  was  im- 
mediately cut  up,  and  a  great  feast  of  the  blubber 
given  at  Maqui  la's  house,  to  which  all  the  village 
were  invited,  who  indemnified  themselves  for  their 
lent,  by  eating  as  usual  to  excess.  I  was  high- 
ly praised  for  the  goodness  of  my  harpoon,  and  a 
quantity  of  blubber  given  me,  which  I  was  permit- 
ed  to  cook  as  I  pleased,  this  I  boiled  in  salt  water 
with   some  young   nettles   and   other  greens  for 

10 


110 


jewitt's  narrative. 


t! 


i 


i 


Thompson  and  myself,  and  in  this  way  we  found 
it  tolerable  food. 

Their  method  of  procuring  the  oil,  is  to  skim 
it  from  the  water  in  which  the  blubber  is  boiled, 
/  and  when  cool,  put  it  up  into  whale  bladders  for 
q  use,  and  of  these  I  have  seen  them  so  large  as, 
•^  when  filled,  would  require  no  less  than  five  or  six 
'^^  men  to  carry.  Several  of  the  chiefs,  among  whom 
r^;  were  Maquina's  brothers,  who  after  the  king  has 
'  I  caught  the  first  whale,  are  privileged  to  take  them 
1  also,  were  very  desirous,  on  discovering  the  su- 
periority of  my  harpoon,  that  I  should  make  some 
for  them,  but  this  Maquina  would  not  permit,  re- 
serving for  himself  this  improved  weapon.  He 
however  gave  me  directions  to  make  a  number 
more  for  himself,  which  I  executed,  and  also  made 
him  several  lances,  with  which  he  was  greatly 
pleased,  y 

As  these  people  have  some  very  singular  obser- 
vances preparatory  to  whaling,  an  account  of  them 
will,  I  presume,  not  prove  uninteresting,  especially 
as  it  may  serve  to  give  a  better  idea  of  their  man- 
V  ners.  I  A  short  time  before  leaving  Tashees,  the 
^  king  niakes  a  point  of  passing  a  day  alone  on  the 
mountain,  whither  he  goes  very  privately  early  in 
the  morning,  and  does  not  return  till  late  in  the 
evening.  This  is  done,  as  I  afterwards  learned, 
for  the  purpose  of  singing  and  praying  to  his  God 
for  success  in  whaling  the  ensuii  g  season;  At 
Cooptee  the  same  ceremony  is  performed,  and  at 
Nootka  after  the  return  thither,  with  still  greater 
solemnity,  as  for  the  next  two  days  he  appears 
very  thoughtful  and  gloomy,  scarcely  speaking  to 
any  one,  and  observes  a  most  rigid  fast.  On  these 
occasions,  he  has  always  a  broad  red  fillet  made 


jewitt's  narrative. 


Ill 


of  bark,  bound  around  his  head,  in  token  of  humili- 
ation, with  a  large  branch  of  green  spruce  on  the 
top,  and  his  great  rattle  in  his  hand.  In  addition 
to  this,  for  a  week  before  commencing  their  whal- 
ing, both  himself  and  the  crew  of  his  canoe  ob- 
serve a  fast,  eating  but  very  little,  and  going  into 
the  water  several  times  in  the  course  of  each  day 
to  bathe,  singing  and  rubbing  their  bodies,  limbs 
and  faces  with  shells  and  bushes,  so  that  on  their 
return  T  have  seen  them  look  as  though  they  had 
been  severely  torn  with  briers.  They  are  like- 
wise obliged  to  abstain  from  any  commerce  with 
their  women  for  the  like  period,  the  lalter  restric- 
tion being  considered  as  indispensable  to  their  suc- 
cess. 

^Early  in  June  Tootoosch,  the  crazy  chief,  died. 

On  being  acquainted  with  his  death  the  whole  vil- 
lage, men,  women,  and  children  set  up  a  loud 
cry,  with  every  testimony  of  the  greatest  grief, 
which  they  continued  for  mor^  than  three  hours. 
As  soon  as  he  was  dead,  the  body,  according  to 
their  custom,  was  laid  out  on  a  plank,  having  the 
head  bound  round  with  a  red  bark  fillet,  which  is 
with  them  an  emblem  of  mourning  and  sorrow. 
After  laying  some  time  in  this  manner,  he  was 
wrapped  in  an  otter  skin  robe,  and  three  fathoms 
of  T-whaw  being  put  about  his  neck,  he  was  placed 
in  a  large  coffin  or  box  about  three  feet  deep, 
which  was  ornamented  on  the  outside  with  two 
rows  of  the  small  white  shells.  In  this,  the  most 
valuable  articles  of  his  property  were  placed  with 
him,  among  which  were  no  less  than  twenty-four 
prime  sea-otter  skins.  At  night,  which  is  their 
time  for  interring  the  dead,  the  coffin  was  borne 
by  eight  men  with  two  poles,  thrust  through  ropes 
passed  around  it,  to   the  place  of  burial,  accom- 


n  T-t*-— jv   ■» 


112 


jewitt'8  narrative. 


C  S 


■l 


panied  by  his  wife  and  family,  with  their  hair  cut 
short,  in  token  of  grief,  all  the  inhabitants  joining 
the  procession.  The  place  of  burial  was  a  large 
cavern  on  the  side  of  a  hill  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  village,  in  which,  after  depositing  the  coffin 
carefully,  all  the  attendants  repaired  to  Maquina's 
house,  where  a  number  of  articles  belonging  to  the 
deceased,  consisting  of  blankets,  pieces  of  cloth, 
&c.  were  burned  by  a  person  appointed  by  Ma- 
quina  for  that  purpose,  dressed  and  painted  in  the 
highest  style,  with  his  head  covered  with  white 
down,  who,  as  he  put  in  the  several  pieces,  one  by 
one,  poured  upon  them  a  quantity  of  oil  to  increase 
the  flame,  in  the  intervals  between,  making  a 
speech  and  playing  off  a  variety  of  buffoon  tricks, 
and  the  whole  closed  with  a  feast  and  dance  from 
Sat-sat-sak-sis,  the  king's  son.  * 

The  man  who  performed  the  ceremony  of  burn- 
ing on  this  occasion,  was  a  very  singular  charac- 
ter, named  Kinneclimmets,  He  was  held  in  high 
estimation.by  the  king,  though  only  of  the  com- 
mon class,  probably  from  his  talent  for  mimicry 
and  buffoonry,  and  might  be  considered  as  a  kind 
of  king's  jester,  or  rather  as  combining  in  his  per- 
son the  character  of  a  buffoon  with  that  of  master 
of  ceremonies,  and  public  orator  to  his  majesty, 
as  he  was  the  one  who  at  feasts  always  regulated 
the  place  of  the  guests,  delivered  speeches  on  re- 
ceiving or  returning  visits,  besides  amusing  the 
company  at  all  their  entertainments,  with  a  variety 
of  monkey  pranks  and  antic  gestures,  which  ap- 
peared to  these  savages  the  height  of  wit  and  hu- 
mour, but  would  be  considered  as  extremely  low 
by  the  least  polished  people.  Almost  all  the  kings 
or  head  chiefs  of  the  pnncipal  tribes,  were  accom- 
panied by  a  similar  character,  who  appeared  to  be 


jewitt's  narrative. 


113 


attached  to  their  dignity,  and  are  called  in  their 
language,   Climmer-habbee, 

This  man,  Kinneclimmets^  was  particularly 
odious  to  Thompson,  who  would  never  join  in  the 
laugh  at  his  tricks,  but  when  he  began,  would  al- 
most always  quit  the  house  with  a  very  surly  look, 
and  an  exclamation  of,  cursed  fool !  which  Maqui- 
na,  who  thought  nodiing  could  equal  the  cleverness 
of  his  Climmer-habbee.,  used  to  remark  with  much 
dissatisfaction,  asking  me  why  Thompson  never 
laughed,  observing  that  I  must  have  had  a  very 
good  tempered  woman  indeed  for  my  mother,  as 
my  father  was  so  very  ill-natured  a  man.  Among 
those  performances  that  gained  him  the  greatest 
applause,  was  his  talent  of  eating  to  excess,  for  I 
have  known  him  devour  at  one  meal,  no  less  than 
seventy-five  large  herring,  and  at  another  time 
when  a  great  feast  was  given  by  Maquina,  he  un- 
dertook, after  drinking  three  pints  of  oil  by  way 
of  whet,  to  eat  four  dried  salmon,  and  five  quarts 
of  spawn,  mixed  up  with  a  gallon  of  train  oil,  and 
actually  succeeded  in  swallowing  the  greater  part 
of  this  mess,  until  his  stomach  became  so  over- 
loaded, as  to  discharge  its  contents  in  the  dish. 
One  of  his  exhibitions,  however,  had  nearly  cost 
him  his  Hfe,  this  was  on  occasion  of  Kla-quak" 
ee-na,  one  of  the  chiefs,  having  bought  him  a  new 
wife,  in  celebration  of  which  he  ran  three  times 
through  a  large  fire,  and  burned  himself  in  such  a 
manner,  that  he  was  not  able  to  stir  for  more  than 
four  weeks.  These  feats  of  savage  skill  were 
much  praised  by  Maquina,  who  never  failed  to 
make  him  a  present,  of  cloth,  muskets,  &c.  on 
such  occasions. 

The  death  of  Tootoosch  increased  still  more 
the  disquietude  which  his  delirium  had   excited 


^ 


fW  .  \:^'A'      .y,C 


114 


JEWITT  S    NARRATIVE. 


among  the  savages,  and  all  those  chiefs  who  had 
killed  our  men  became  much  alarmed,  lest  they 
should  be  seized  with  the  same  disorder  and  die 
like  him;  more  particularly,  as  I  had  told  Maquina, 
that  I  believed  his  insanity  was  a  punishment  in- 
flicted on  him  by  Q^uaJwotze^  for  his  cruelty  in 
murdering  two  innocent  men,  who  had  never  in- 
jured him. 

Our  situation  had  now  become  unpleasant  ir;  the 
extreme.  The  summer  was  so  far  advanced,  that 
we  nearly  despaired  of  a  ship  arriving  to  our  relief, 
and  with  that  expectation,  almost  relinquished  the 
hope  of  ever  having  it  in  our  power  to  quit  this 
savage  land.  We  were  treated  too  with  less  in- 
dulgence than  before,  both  Thompson  and  myself 
being  obliged,  in  addition  to  our  other  employ- 
ments, to  perform  the  laborious  task  of  cutting  and 
collecting  fuel,  which  we  had  to  bring  on  our 
shoulders  from  nearly  three  miles  distant,  as  it 
consisted  wholly  of  dry  trees,  all  of  which  near 
the  village,  had  been  consumed.  To  add  to  this, 
we  suffered  much  abuse  from  the  common  people, 
who,  when  Maquina  or  some  of  the  chiefs  were 
not  present,  would  insult  us,  calling  us  wretched 
slaves,  asking  us  where  was  our  Tyee  or  captain, 
making  gestures  signifying  that  his  head  had  been 
cut  off,  and  that  they  would  do  the  like  to  us; 
though  they  generally  took  good  care  at  such  times 
to  keep  well  out  of  Thompson's  reach,  as  they 
had  more  than  once  experienced  to  their  cost  the 
strength  of  his  fist.  This  conduct  was  not  only 
provoking  and  grating  to  our  feelings  in  the  highest 
degree,  but  it  convinced  us  of  the  ill  disposition 
of  these  savages  towards  us,  and  rendered  us  fear- 
ful lest  they  might  at  some  time  or  other  persuade 
or  force  Maquina  and  the  chiefs,  to  put  us  to  death. 


!,c 


1C\ 


Vv^    f^  -    »    l^ 


t. 


*  »>  ■.  a. 


jewitt's  narrative. 


115 


We  were  also  often  brought  to  great  distress 
for  the  want  of  provision,  so  far  as  to  be  reduced 
to  collect  a  scanty  supply  of  muscles  and  limpets 
from  the  rocks,  and  sometimes  even  compelled  to 
part  with  some  of  our  most  necessary  articles  of 
clothing,  in  order  to  purchase  food  for  our  sub- 
sistence. This  was,  however,  principally  owing 
to  the  inhabitants  themselves  experiencing  a  great 
scarcity  of  provisions  this  season  there  having 
been,  in  the  first  place,  but  va  >  few  salmon 
caught  at  Friendly  Cove,  a  most  unusual  cir-  , 
cumstance,  as  they  generally  abound  there  in  the 
spring,  which  was  by  the  natives  attributed  to  their  ' 
having  been  driven  away  by  the  blood  of  our  men, 
who  had  been  thrown  into  the  sea,  which  with 
true  savage  inconsistency,  excited  their  murmers 
against  'Maquina.  who  had  proposed  cutting  off 
our  ship.  Relying  on  this  supply,  they  had  in 
the  most  inconsiderate  manner  squandered  away 
their  winter  stock  of  provisions,  so  that  in  a 
few  days  after  their  return,  it  was  entirely  expend- 
ed. Nor  were  the  king  and  chiefs  much  more 
fortunate  in  their  whaling,  even  after  I  had  furnish- 
ed Maquina  with  the  improved  weapon  for  that 
purpose;  but  four  whales  having  been  taken  during 
the  season,  which  closes  the  last  of  May,  including 
one  that  had  been  struck  by  Maquina  and  escaped, 
and  was  afterwards  driven  on  shore  about  six  miles 
from  Nootka,  in  almost  a  state  of  putridity. 
These  afforded  but  a  short  supply,  to  a  popula- 
tion, including  all  ages  and  sexes,  of  no  less  than 
fifteen  hundred  persons,  and  of  a  character  so  very 
improvident,  that  after  feasting  most  gluttonously 
whenever  a  whale  was  caught,  they  were  several 
times  for  a  week  together,  reduced  to  the  nocossi- 
ty  of  eating  but  once  a  day,   and  of  collecting 


116 


jewitt's  narrative. 


cockles  and  muscles  from  the  rocks  for  their  food. 
And  even  after  the  cod  and  halibut  fishing  com- 
menced in  June,  in  which  they  met  with  tolerable 
success,  such  was  the  savage  caprice  of  Maquina 
that  he  would  often  give  us  but  little  to  eat,  finally 
ordering  us  to  buy  a  canoe  and  fishing  implements, 
and  go  out  ourselves  and  fish,  or  we  should  have 
nothing.  To  do  this,  we  were  compelled  to  part 
with  our  great  coats,  which  were  not  only  impor- 
tant to  us  as  garments,  but  of  which  we  made  our 
beds,  spreading  them  under  us  when  we  slept. 
From  our  want  of  skill,  however,  in  this  new  em- 
ploy, we  met  with  no  success,  on  discovering 
which,  Maquina  ordered  us  to  remain  at  home. 

Another  thing,  which  to  me  in  particular,  proved 
an  almost  constant  source  of  vexation  and  disgust, 
and  which  living  among  them  had  not  in  the  least 
reconciled  me  to,  was  their  extreme  filthiness,  not 
only  in  eating  fish,  especially  the  whale,  when  in  a 
state  of  offensive  putridity,  but  while  at  their 
meals  of  making  a  practice  of  taking  the  vermin 
from  their  heads  or  clothes,  and  eating  them,  by 
turns  thrusting  their  fingers  into  their  hair, 
and  into  the  dish,  and  spreading  their  garments 
over  the  tubs  in  which  the  provision  was  cook- 
ing, in  order  to  set  in  motion  their  inhabitants. 
Fortunately  for  Thompson,  he  regarded  this  much 
less  than  myself,  and  when  I  used  to  point  out  to 
him  any  instances  of  their  filthiness  in  this  respect, 
he  would  laugh  and  reply.  Never  mind  John,  the 
more  good  things  the  better.  I  must  however  do 
Maquina  the  justice  to  state,  that  he  was  much 
neater  both  in  his  person  and  eating  than  were  the 
others,  as  was  likewise  his  queen,  owing  no  doubt 
to  his  intercouse  with  foreigners,  which  had  given 
him  ideas  of  cleanliness,  for  I  never  saw  eitlier  of 


irjrrT»r 


iSksaaKaaKtEanaM 


jewitt's  narrative. 


117 


them  eat  any  of  these  animals,  but  on  the  contrary 
they  appeared  not  much  to  reHsh  this  taste  in 
others.  Their  garments,  also,  were  much  clean- 
er, Maquina  having  been  accustomed  to  give  his 
away  when  they  became  soiled,  till  after  he  dis- 
covered that  Thompson  and  myself  kept  ours  clean 
by  washing  them,  when  he  used  to  make  Thomp- 
son do  the  same  for  him. 

Yet  amidst  this  state  of  endurance  and  disap- 
pointment, in  hearing  repeatedly  of  the  arrival  of 
ships  at  the  north  and  south,  most  of  which  proved 
to  be  idle  reports,  wiiile  expectation  was  almost 
wearied  out  in  looking  for  them,  we  did  not  wholly 
despond,  relying  on  the  mercy  of  the  Supreme 
Being,  to  offer  up  to  whom  our  devotions  on  the 
days  appointed  for  his  worship,  was  our  chief  con- 
solation and  support,  though  we  were  sometimes  , 
obliged  by  our  task-masters  to  infringe  upon  the 
Sabbath,  which  was  to  me  a  source  of  much  re- 
gret. 

We  were  nevertheless,  treated  at  times,  with 
much  kindness  by  Maquina,  who  would  give  us  a 
plenty  of  the  best  that  he  had  to  eat,  and  occa- 
sionally, some  small  present  of  cloth  for  a  garment, 
promising  me,  that  if  any  ship  should  arrive  within 
a  hundred  miles  of  Nootka,  he  would  send  a  canoe 
with  a  letter  from  me  to  the  captain,  so  that  he  I 
might  come  to  our  release.  These  flattering  prom- 
ises and  marks  of  attention  were  however,  at  those 
times,  when  he  thought  himself  in  personal  danger 
from  a  mutinous  spirit,  which  the  scarcity  of  pro- 
vision had  excited  among  the  natives,  who,  like 
true  savages,  imputed  all  their  public  calamities, 
of  whatever  kind,  to  the  misconduct  of  their  chief, 
or  when  he  was  apprehensive  of  an  attack  from 
gome  of  the  other  tribes  who  were  irritated  with  him 


•  --(' 


\ 


118 


jewitt's  narrative. 


for  cutting  off  the  Boston,  as  it  had  prevented  ships 
from  coming  to  trade  with  them,  and  who  were 
constantly  alarming  him  with  idle  stories  of  vessels 
that  were  preparing  to  come  agamst  him,  and  ex- 
terminate both  him  and  his  people  the  Cayuquets. 
At  such  times,  he  made  us  keep  guard  over  him 
both  night  and  day,  armed  with  cutlasses  and  pis- 
tols, being  apparently  afraid  to  trust  any  of  his  own 
men.  At  one  time,  it  was  a  general  revolt  of  his 
people  that  he  apprehended — then  three  of  his 
principal  chiefs,  among  whom  was  his  elder  broth- 
er, had  conspired  to  take  away  his  life,  and  at 
length  he  fancied  that  a  small  party  of  Klaooquates, 
between  whom  and  the  Nootkians,  httle  friendship 
subsisted,  had  come  to  Nootka,  under  a  pretence  of 
trade,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  murdering  him  and  his 
family,  telling  us,  probably  to  sharpen  our  vigi- 
lance, that  their  intention  was  to  kill  us  likewise; 
and  so  strongly  were  his  fears  excited  on  this  oc- 
casion, that  he  not  only  ordered  us  to  keep  near 
him  armed  by  day,  whenever  he  went  out,  and  to 
patrole  at  night  before  his  house  while  they  remain- 
ed, but  to  continue  the  same  guard  for  three  days 
after  they  were  gone,  and  to  fire  at  one  and  at  foui^ 
in  the  morning,  one  of  the  great  guns,  to  let  them 
know,  if,  as  he  suspected,  they  were  lurking  in  the 
neighbourhood,  that  he  v/as  on  his  guard.  While 
he  was  thus  favourably  disposed  towards  us,  I  took 
an  opportunity  to  inform  him  of  the  ill  treatment 
that  we  frequently  received  from  his  people,  and 
the  insults  that  were  offered  us  by  some  of  the 
stranger  tribes  in  calling  us  white  slaves,  and  load- 
ing us  with  other  opprobrious  terms.  He  was 
much  displeased,  and  said  that  his  subjects  should 
not  be  allowed  to  treat  us  ill,  and  that  if  any  of  the 
strangers  did  it,  he  wishod  us  to  punish  th«  offand- 


JRIVITT's  NARttATIYE. 


119 


em  with  death,  at  the  ?ame  time  directing;  us  for 
oui  security,  to  go  constantly  armed.  This  per- 
mission was  soon  improved  by  Thompson  to  the 
best  advantage ;  for  a  few  days  after,  havini];  cione  to 
the  pond  to  wash  some  of  our  clothos,  ami  blanket 
for  Maquina,  several  Wickinninish  who  were  then 
at  Nootka,  came  diither,  and  seeing  him  washing 
the  clothes,  and  the  blanket  spread  upon  ijie  grass 
to  dry,  they  began  according  to  custom  to  insult 
him,  and  one  of  them  bolder  than  the  other?, 
walked  over  the  blanket.  Thompson  was  highly 
incensed,  and  threatened  the  Indian  with  death  if 
he  repeated  the  offence,  but  he,  in  contem})t  of  the 
threat,  trampled  upon  the  blanket,  when  drawing 
his  cutlass,  without  farther  ceremony,  Tliompson 
cut  off  his  head,  on  seeing  which  the  others  ran 


Tliompson  killing  the  laiiuk 

off  at  full  speed;  Thompson  then  gathering  up  the 
clothes  and  blanket  on  which  were  the  marks  of  the 
Indian^s  dirty  feet,  and  taking  with  him  the  head, 
returned  and  informed  the  king  of  what  had  pass- 
ed, who  was  much  pleased,  and  highly  commend- 


.^'"■■*" 


120 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


V 


ed  his  conduct.  This  had  a  favourable  effect  for 
us,  not  only  on  the  stranger  tribes,  but  the  inhabi- 
tants themselves,  who  treated  us  afterwards  with 
less  disrespect. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  Maquina  informed  me 
that  he  was  going  to  war  with  the  A-y-charts^  a 
tribe  living  at  about  fifty  miles  to  the  south,  on  ac- 
count of  some  controversy  that  had  arisen  the  pre- 
ceding summer,  and  that  I  must  make  a  number 
of  daggers  for  his  men,  and  cheetoolths  for  hisb 
chiefs,  which  having  completed,  he  wished  me  to 
make  for  his  own  use  a  weapon  of  quite  a  different 
form,  in  order  to  dispatch  his  enemy  by  one  blow 
on  the  head,  it  being  the  calculation  of  these  na- 
tions on  going  to  war,  to  surprize  their  adversaries 
while  asleep.  This  was  a  steel  dagger,  or  more 
properly  a  spike,  of  about  six  inches  long  made 
very  sharp,  set  at  right  angles  in  an  iron  handle  ot 
fifteen  inches  long,  terminating  at  the  lower  end  in 
a  crook  or  turn,  so  as  to  preveit  its  being  wrench- 
ed from  the  hand,  and  at  the  upper,  in  a  round 
knob  or  head,  from  whence  the  spike  protruded. 
This  instrument  I  polished  highly,  and  the  more  to 
please  Maquina,  formed  on  the  back  of  the  knob, 
the  resemblance  of  a  man's  head,  with  the  mouth 
open,  substituting  for  eyes,  black  beads,  which  I 
fastened  in  with  red  sealing  wax.  This  pleased 
him  much,  and  was  greatly  admired  by  his  chiefs, 
who  wanted  me  to  make  similar  ones  for  them,  but 
Maquina  would  not  suffer  it,  reserving  for  himself 
alone  this  weapon. 

When  these  people  have  finally  determined  on 
war,  they  make  it  an  invariable  practice  for  jthrec 
or  four  weeks  prior  to  the  expedition,  to  go  into 
the  water  five  or  six  times  a  day,  where  they  wash 
and  scrub  themselves  from  head  to  foot  with  bush 


JEWITT'S  NARRATIVE. 


1^1 


es  intermixed  with  briars,  so  that  their  bodies  and 
faces  will  often  be  entirely  covered  with  blood. 
During  this  severe  exercise,  they  are  continually 
exclaiming,  '^IVocash  Quahootze^  Teechamme 
ah  weltli^  icik-etisli  tau-ilth — Kar-sab-matemas — 
Wik-sish  to  hauk  matemas — /  yn-ish  kah-shittle 
— Jls-smoolish  wnrich  matemas — Which  signifies. 
Good,  or  great  God,  let  me  live — Not  be  sick — 
Find  the  enemy — Not  fear  him — Find  him  asleep, 
and  kill  a  great  many  of  him.  During  the  whole  of 
this  period  they  have  no  intercourse  with  their 
women,  and  for  a  week,  at  least,  before  setting  out, 
abstain  from  feasting  or  any  kind  of  merriment, 
appearing  thougluful,  gloomy,  and  morose,  and  for 
the  three  last  days,  are  almost  constantly  in  the 
water,  both  day  and  night,  scrubbing  and  lacera- 
ting themselves  in  a  terrible  manner.  Maquina 
naving  informed  Thompson  and  myself  that  he 
should  take  us  with  him,  was  very  solicitous  that 
we  should  bathe  and  scrub  ourselves  in  the  same 
way  with  them,  telling  me  that  it  would  harden 
our  skins  so  that  the  weapons  of  the  enemy  would 
not  pierce  them,  but  as  we  felt  no  great  inclination 
to  amuse  ourselves  in  this  manner,  we  declined  it. 
y  The  expedition  consisted  of  forty  canoes,  carr}'- 
ing  from  ten  to  twenty  men  each.  Thompson  and 
myself  armed  ourselves  with  cutlasses  and  pistols, 
but  the  natives,  although  they  had  a  plenty  of 
European  arms,  took  with  them  only  their  daggers 
and  cheetoolths,  with  a  few  bows  and  arrows,  the 
latter  being  about  a  yard  in  length,  and  pointed 
with  copper,  muscle  shell,  or  bone:  the  bows  are 
four  feet  and  a  half  long,  with  strings  -made  of 
whale  sinew. 

To  go  to  A-y-chart,  we  ascended  from  twenty 
to  thirty  miles,  a  river  about  the  size  of  that  of 

11 


i' 


I; 


\22 


jewitt's  narrative. 


Tashees,  the  banks  of  which  are  h'y^h  and  covered 
with  wood.  At  midnight,  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
village,  which  was  situated  on  the  west  hank  near 
the  shore  on  a  si  .cp  hill  difficult  of  access,  and 
well  calculated  for  defence.  It  consisted  of  fifteen 
or  sixteen  houses,  smaller  than  those  at  Nootka, 
and  built  in  the  same  style,  but  compactly  placed. 
By  Maquina's  directions,  the  attack  was  deferred 
until  the  first  appearance  of  dawn,  as  he  said  that 
was  the  time  when  men  slept  the  soundest. 

At  length  all  being  ready  for  the  attack,  w^e 
landed  with  the  greatest  silence,  and  going  around 
so  as  to  come  upon  the  foe  in  the  rear,  clambered 
up  the  hill,  and  wdiild  the  natives,  as  is  their  cus- 
tom, entered  the  several  huts,  creeping  on  all 
fours,  my  comrade  and  myself  stationed  ourselves 
without,  to  intercept  those  who  should  attempt  to 
escape,  or  come  to  the  aid  of  their  friends.  I 
wished  if  possible,  not  to  stain  my  hands  in  the 
blood  of  any  fellow  creature,  and  though  Thomp- 
son would  gladly  have  put  to  death  all  the  savages 
in  the  country,  he  was  too  brave  to  think  of  attack- 
ing a  sleeping  enemy.  Having  entered  the  houses, 
en  the  war-w^hoop  being  given  by  Maquina,  as  he 
seized  the  head  of  the  chief,  and  gave  liim  the  fatal 
blow,  all  proceeded  to  the  work  of  death.  The 
A-y-charts  being  thus  surprised,  were  unable  to 
make  resistance,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  very 
few,  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to  make  their  escape, 
were  all  killed  or  taken  prisoners  on  condition  of 
becoming  slaves  to  their  captors.  I  also  had  the 
good  fortune  to  take  four  captives,  whom  Maqui- 
na, as  a  favor,  permitted  me  to  consider  as  mine, 
and  occasionally  employ  them  in  fishing  for  me, 
as  for  Thompson,  who  thristed  for  revenge,  he  had 
no  wish  to  take  any  prisoners,  but  witli  his  eutlass, 


jewitt's  narrative. 


123 


the  only  weapon  he  would  employ  against  them, 
succeeded  in  killing  seven  stout  fellows  who  came 
to  attack  him,  an  act  which  obtained  him  great 
credit  with  Maquina  and  the  chiefs,  who  after  this, 
held  him  in  much  higher  estimation,  and  gave  him 
the  appellation  of  Cliehiel-suma-har,  it  being  the 
naAie  of  a  very  celebrated  warrior  of  their  nation  in 
ancient  times,  whose  exploits  were  the  constant 
theme  of  their  praise. 


Thompson  slaying  the  Natives. 

After  having  put  to  death  all  the  old  and  infirm 
of  either  sex,  as  is  the  barbarous  practice  of  these 
people,  and  destroyed  the  buildings,  we  re-embark- 
ed with  our  booty  in  our  canoes,  for  Nootka, 
where  we  were  received  with  great  demonstrations 
of  joy  by  the  women  and  children,  accompany- 
ing our  war-song  with  a  most  furious  drumming  on 
the  houses.  The  next  day  a  great  feast  was  given 
by  Maquina,  in  celebration  of  his  victory,  which 
was  terminated  as  usual  with  a  dance  by  Sat-sat- 
sak-sis. 

Repeated  applications  had  been  made  to  Maqui- 
na, by  a  number  of  kings   or  chiefs,  to  |>urchase 


124 


jewitt's  narrative. 


.  t 


. 


!i' 


me,  especially  after  he  had  showed  them  the  har- 
poon I  had  made  for  him,  which  he  took  much 
pride  in,  but  he  constantly  refused  to  part  with  me 
on  any  terms. — Among  these,  the  king  of  the 
Wickinninish  was  particularly  solicitous  to  obtain 
me,  having  twice  applied  to  Muqiiina  for  that  pur- 
pose, once  in  a  very  formal  manner,  by  s(3nding 
his  messenger  with  four  canoes,  who,  as  he  ap- 
proached the  shore,  decorated  in  their  highest  style, 
with  the  white  down  on  his  head,  &c.  declared 
that  he  came  to  buy  Tooteyoohannis,  the  name  by 
which  I  v/as  known  to  them,  for  his  master,  and 
that  he  had  brought  for  that  purpose  four  young 
male  slaves,  two  highly  ornamented  canoes,  such 
a  number  of  skins  of  the  metamelth,  and  of  the 
quartlack^  or  sea-otter,  and  so  many  fathoms  of 
cloth  and  of  I-wliaw,  while  as  he  mentioned  the 
different  articles,  they  were  pointed  out  or  held 
up  by  his  attendants,  but  even  this  tempting  offer  had 
no  influence  on  Maquiua;  who  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  summer,  was  again  very  strongly  urged  to  sell 
mo  by  Ulatilla,  or  as  he  is  generally  called,  Ma- 
c)ee  Ulatilla,  chief  of  the  Klaizzarts,  who  had 
come  to  Nootka  on  a  visit. 

This  chief,  who  could  speak  tolerable  English, 
had  much  more  the  appearance  of  a  civilized  man, 
than  any  of  the  savages  that  I  saw.  He  appeared 
to  be  about  thirty,  w^as  rather  small  in  his  person, 
but  extremely  well  formed,  with  a  skin  almost  as 
fair  as  that  of  an  European,  good  features,  and  a 
countenance  expressive  of  candour  and  amiable- 
ness,  and  which  was  almost  always  brightened  with 
a  smile.  He  was  much  neater  both  in  his  dress 
and  person  than  any  of  the  other  chiefs,  seldom 
wearing  jxiint,  except  upon  his  eye-brows,  which 
after  the  custom  of  his  coimtry,  were  plucked  out, 


jewitt's  narrative. 


125 


and  a  few  strips  of  the  pelpeltli  on  the  lower  part  of 
his  face.  He  always  treated  me  with  much  kind- 
ness, was  fond  of  conversing  witli  me  in  English  and 
in  his  own  language,  asking  mo  many  questions  rela- 
tive to  my  country,  its  manners,  customs,  &c.  and 
appeared  to  take  a  strong  interest  in  my  fate,  tell- 
ing me,  that  if  he  could  persuade  Maquina  to  ])art 
with  me,  he  would  put  me  on  hoard  the  first  ship 
that  came  to  his  country;  a  promise,  which  from 
his  suhsequent  conduct,  I  have  good  reason  to 
think  he  would  have  performed,  as  my  deliver- 
ance, at  length,  from  captivity  and  suflering  was, 
under  the  favour  of  divine  providence,  wholly  ow- 
ing to  him,  the  only  letter  that  ever  reached  an 
European  or  American  vessel,  out  of  sixteen  that 
I  wrote  at  different  times,  and  sent  to  various  parts 
of  the  coast,  having  been  delivered  by  him  in  per- 
son. So  much  pleased  was  I  with  this  man's  be- 
haviour to  me  while  at  Nootka,  that  I  made  for 
him  a  Cheetoolth,  which  I  burnished  highly,  and 
engraved  with  figures;  with  this  he  was  greatly  de- 
lighted; I  also  should  have  made  for  him  a  harpoon 
would  Maquina  have  consented. 

With  hearts  full  of  dejection  and  almost  lost  to 
hope,  no  ship  having  appeared  off  Nootka  this  sea- 
son, did  my  companion  and  myself  accompany  the 
tribe  on  their  removal  in  September  to  Tashees, 
relinquishing  in  consequence,  for  six  months,  even 
the  remotest  expectation  of  relief. 

Soon  after  our  establishment  there,  Maquina  in- 
formed me,  that  he  and  his  chiefs  had  held  council 
both,  before  and  after  quitting  Nootka,  in  which 
they  had  determined  that  I  must  marry  one  of  their 
women,  urging  as  a  reason  to  induce  me  to  con- 
sent, that  as  there  was  now  no  probability  of  a  ship 
Mming  to  Nootka  to  reloase  me,  that  I  mast  goq- 


126 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


sider  myself  as  destined  to  pass  the  remainder  of  my 
life  with  them,  that  the  sooner  I  conformed  to 
their  customs  the  better,  and  that  a  wife  and  family 
would  render  me  more  contented  and  satisfied  with 
their  mode  of  living.  I  remonstrated  against  this 
decision,  but  to  no  purpose,  for  he  told  me  that 
should  I  refuse,  both  Thompson  and  myself  would 
be  put  to  death,  telling  me  however,  that  if  there 
were  none  of  the  w^omen  of  his  tribe  that  pleased 
me,  he  would  go  with  me  to  some  of  the  other 
tribes,  where  he  would  purchase  for  me  such  an 
one  as  I  should  select.  Reduced  to  this  sad  ex- 
tremity, with  death  on  the  one  side,  and  matri- 
mony on  the  other,  I  thought  proper  to  choose 
what  appeared  to  me  the  least  of  the  two  evils, 
and  consent  to  be  married,  on  condition,  that  as 
I  did  not  fancy  any  of  the  Nootka  women,  I  should 
be  permitted  to  make  choice  of  one  from  some 
other  tribe. 

This  being  setded,  the  next  morning  by  day -light 
Maquina  with  about  fifty  men  in  two  canoes,  set 
out  with  me-  for  A-i-tiz-zart,  taking  w-ith  him  a 
quantity  of  cloth,  a  number  of  muskets,  sea-otter 
skins,  &c.  for  the  purchase  of  my  bride.  With 
the  aid  of  our  paddles  and  sails,  being  favoured 
with  a  fair  breeze,  we  arrived  some  time  before 
sun  set  at  the  village.  Our  arrival  excited  a  gen- 
eral alarm,  and  the  men  hastened  to  the  shore, 
armed  with  the  weapons  of  their  country,  making 
many  warlike  demonstrations,  and  displaying  much 
zeal  and  activity.  We  in  the  mean  time  remained 
quietly  seated  in  our  canoes,  where  we  remained 
for  about  half  an  hour,  when  the  messenger  of  the 
chief,  dressed  in  their  best  manner,  came  to  wel- 
come us,  and  invite  us  on  shore  to  eat.  We  fol- 
lov^ed  him  In  procession  to  the  chief's  house,  Ma- 


jewitt's  narrative. 


127 


quina  at  our  head,  taking  care  to  leave  a  sufficient 
number  in  the  boats  to  protect  the  property. 
When  we  came  to  the  house,  we  were  ushered  in 
with  much  ceremony,  and  our  respective  seats 
pointed  out  to  us,  mine  being  next  to  Maquina  by 
his  request. 

After  having  been  regaled  with  a  feast  of  herring 
spawn  and  oil,  Maquina  asked  me  if  I  saw  any 
among  the  women  who  were  present  that  I  liked. 
I  immediately  pointed  out  to  him  a  young  girl  of 
about  seventeen,  the  daughter  of  Upquesta^  the 
chief,  who  was  sitthig  near  him  by  her  mother. 
On  this  Maquina  making  a  sign  to  his  men,  arose 
and  taking  me  by  the  hand,  walked  into  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room,  and  sent  off  two  of  his  men  to 
bring  the  boxes  containing  the  presents  from  the 
canoes.  In  the  mean  time  Kinneclimmets,  the 
master  of  ceremonies,  whom  I  have  already  spo- 
ken of,  made  himself  ready  for  the  part  he  was  to 
act,  by  powdering  his  hair  with  the  whi4:e  down. — 
When  the  chests  w^ere  brought  in,  specimens  of 
the  several  articles  were  taken  out,  and  showed  by 
our  men,  one  of  whom  held  up  a  musket,  another 
a  skin,  a  third  a  piece  of  cloth,  &c.  On  this 
Kinneclimmets  stepped  forward,  and  addressing 
the  chief,  informed  him  that  all  these  belonged  to 
me,  mentioning  the  number  of  each  kind,  and  that 
they  were  offered  him  for  the  purchase  of  his 
daughter  Eu-stoch-ee-exqua,  as  a  wife  for  me. 
As  he  said  this,  the  men  who  held  up  the  various 
articles,  walked  up  to  the  chief,  and  with  a  very 
stern  and  morose  look,  the  complimentary  one  on 
these  occasions,  threw  them  at  his  feet.  Imme- 
diately on  which,  all  the  tribe,  both  men  and  wo- 
men, who  were  assembled  on  this  occasion,  set 
up  a  cry  of  Klack-ko-Tyee,   that  is.  Thank  ye 


.•» 


"tut 


128 


JEW1TT*S  NARKATIYE. 


\ 


chief.  His  men,  after  this  ceremony,  havuig  re- 
turned to  their  places,  Maquina  rose,  and  in  a 
speech  of  more  than  half  an  hour,  said  much  in  my 
praise  to  the  A-i-tiz-zart  chief,  telling  him  that  I 
was  as  good  a  man  as  themselves,  differing  from 
them  only  in  being  white,  that  I  was  besides  ac- 
quainted with  many  things  of  which  they  were  ig- 
norant; that  I  knew  how  to  make  daggers,  chee- 
toolths,  and  harpoons,  and  was  a  very  valuable 
person,  whom  he  was  determined  to  keep  always 
with  him;  praising  me  at  the  same  time  for  the 
goodness  of  my  temper,  and  the  manner  in  which 
I  had  conducted  since  I  had  been  with  them,  ob- 
serving that  all  the  people  of  Nootka,  and  even 
the  children  loved  me. 

While  Maquina  was  speaking,  his  master  of  cer- 
emonies was  continually  skipping  about,  making 
the  most  extravagant  gestures  and  exclaiming  Wo- 
cash.  When  he  had  ceased,  the  A-i-tiz-zart  chief 
arose  amidst  the  acclamations  of  his  people,  and 
began  with  setting  forth  the  many  good  qualities  and 
accomplishments  of  his  daughter;  that  he  loved 
her  greatly,  and  as  she  was  his  only  one,  he 
could  not  think  of  parting  with  her.  He  spoke 
in  this  manner  for  some  time,  but  finally  concluded 
by  consenting  to  the  proposed  union,  requesting 
that  she  might  be  well  used  and  kindly  treated  by 
her  husband.  At  the  close  of  this  speech,  when 
the  chief  began  to  manifest  a  disposition  to  consent 
to  our  uiiion,  Kinneclimmets  again  began  to  call 
out  as  loud  as  he  could  bawl,  Wocash,  cutting  a 
thousand  capers  and  spinning  himself  around  on  his 
heel  like  a  top. 

When  Upquesta  had  finished  his  speech,  he  di- 
rected his  people  to  carry  back  the  presents  which 
Maquina  had  given  him,  to  me,  together  with  two 


jewitt's  narrative. 


129 


young  male  slaves  to  assist  me  in  fishing.  These, 
after  having  been  placed  before  me,  were  by 
Maquina's  men  taken  on  board  the  canoes.  This 
ceremony  being  over,  we  were  invited  by  one  of 
the  principal  chiefs  to  a  feast,  at  his  house,  of 
Klussamit^  or  dried  herring,  where  after  the  eat- 
ing was  over,  Kinneclimmets  amused  the  company 
very  highly  with  his  tricks,  and  the  evening's  en- 
tertainment was  closed  by  a  new  war-^ong  from 
our  men,  and  one  in  return  from  the  A-i-tiz-zarts, 
accompanied  with  expressive  gestures,  and  wield- 
ing of  their  weapons. 

After  this,  our  company  returned  to  lodge  at 
Upquesta's,  except  a  few  who  were  left  on  board 
the  canoes  to  watch  the  property.  In  the  morn- 
ing I  received  from  the  chief  his  daughter,  with  an 
earnest  request  that  I  would  use  her  well,  which  I 
promised  him,  when  taking  leave  of  her  parents, 
she  accompanied  me  with  apparent  satisfaction  on 
board  of  the  canoe. 

The  wind  being  ahead,  the  natives  were  obliged 
to  have  recourse  to  their  paddles,  accompanying 
them  with  their  songs,  interspersed  with  the  witti- 
cisms and  bufibnry  of  Kinneclimmets,  who,  in  his 
capacity  of  king's  steersman,  one  of  his  functions 
which  I  forgot  to  enumerate,  not  only  guided  the 
course  of  the  canoe,  but  regulated  the  singing  of 
tlie  boatmen.  At  about  five  in  the  morning,  we 
reached  Tashees,  where  we  found  all  the  inhabi- 
iants  collected  on  the  shore  to  receive  us.  We 
were  welcomed  with  loud  shouts  of  joy,  and  ex- 
clamations of  Wocash,  and  the  women  taking  my 
bride  under  their  charge,  conducted  her  to  Ma- 
quina's house,  to  be  kept  with  them  for  ten  days; 
it  being  an  universal  custom  as  Maquina  informed 
me,  that  no  intercourse  should  take  place  belvveen 


130 


jewitt's  narrative. 


the  new  married  pair  during  that  period.  At 
night  Maquiiia  gave  a  great  feast,  which  was  suc- 
ceeded by  a  dance,  in  which  all  the  women  joined, 
and  thus  ended  the  festivities  of  my  mariinge. 

The  term  of  my  restriction  over,  Miiquina  as- 
signed me  as  an  apartment,  the  space  in  the  rpper 
pai't  of  his  house,  between  him  and  his  elder  broth- 
er, whose  room  was  opposite.  Here  I  eistalJished 
myself  with  my  family,  consisting  of  myself  and 
wife,  Thompson  and  the  little  Sat-sat-suk-sis,  who 
had  always  been  strongly  attached  to  me,  and  now 
sohcited  his  father  to  let  him  hve  with  me,  to 
which  he  consented.  This  boy  was  handsome,  ex- 
tremely well  formed,  amiable,  and  of  a  pleasant, 
sprightly  disposition.  I  used  to  take  a  pleasure  in 
decorating  him  with  rings,  bracelets,  ear  jewels, 
&c.  which  I  made  for  him  of  copper,  and  orna- 
mented and  polished  them  in  my  best  manner.  I 
was  also  very  careful  to  keep  him  free  from  vermin 
of  every  kind,  washing  him  and  combing  his  hair 
every  day.  These  marks  of  attention  were  not 
oiily  very  pleasing  to  the  child,  who  delighted  in 
being  kept  neat  and  clean,  as  well  as  in  being  dress- 
ed ofF  in  his  finery,  but  was  highly  gratifying  both 
to  Maquina  and  his  queen,  who  used  to  express 
much  satisfaction  at  my  care  of  him. 

In  making  my  domestic  establishment,  I  deter- 
mined, as  far  as  possible,  to  live  in  a  more  com- 
fortable and  cleanly  manner  than  the  others.  For 
this  purpose,  I  erected  with  planks,  a  partition  of 
about  three  feet  high,  between  mine  and  the  ad- 
joining rooms,  and  made  three  bedsteads  of  the 
same,  which  I  covered  with  boards,  for  my  family 
to  sleep  on,  which  I  found  much  mo-e  comforta- 
ble than  sleeping  on  the  floor  amidst  the  dirt. 

Fortunately   I  found  my   Indian  princess  both 


>* 


jewitt's  narrative. 


131 


amiable  and  intelligent,  for  one  whose  limited 
sphere  of  observation  must  necessarily  give  rise 
to  but  a  few  ideas.  She  was  extremely  ready  to 
agree  to  any  thing  that  I  j)roposed  relative  to  our 
mode  of  living,  was  very  attentive  in  keeping  her 
garments  and  person  neat  and  clean,  and  aj)[)eared 
in  every  respect,  solicitous  to  please  me.  She 
was,  as  I  have  said,  about  seventeen;  lier  person 
was  small,  but  well  formed,  as  were  her  I'entures, 
her  complexion  was,  without  exce})ti()n,  fairer 
than  any  of  the  women,  with  considerable  colour 
m  her  clieeks,  her  hair  long,  black,  and  much  sof- 
ter than  is  usual  with  them,  and  her  teeth  small, 
even,  and  of  a  dazzling  whiteness,  while  the  ex- 
pression of  her  countenance,  indicated  sweetness 
of  temper  and  modesty.  She  would,  indeed,  have 
been  considered  as  very  pretty  in  any  country,  and 
excepting  Maquina's  queen,  was  by  far  tlie  hand- 
somest of  any  of  their  women. 

With  a  partner  possessing  so  many  attractions, 
many  may  be  apt  to  conclude,  that  I  must  have 
found  myself  happy,  at  least  comparadvely  so;  but 
far  otherwise  was  it  with  me,  a  compulsoiy  marri- 
age with  the  most  beautiful  and  accomplished  per- 
son in  the  world,  can  never  prove  a  source  of  real 
happiness,  and  in  my  situation,  I  could  not  but 
view  this  connection  as  a  chain  that  was  to  bind  me 
down  to  this  savage  land,  and  prevent  my  ever 
again  seeing  a  civilized  country;  especially,  when 
in  a  few  days  after,  Maquina  informed  me  that 
there  had  been  a  meeting  of  his  chiefs  in  which  it 
was  determined,  that  as  I  had  married  one  of  their 
women,  I  must  be  considered  as  one  of  them,  and 
conform  to  their  customs,  and  that  in  future,  nei- 
ther myself  nor  Thompson  should  wear  our  Euro- 
pean clothes,  but  dress  ui  Kutsaks  like  themselves. 


; 


132 


jewitt's  narrative. 


This  order  was  to  me  most  painful,  but  1  persuad- 
ed Maquina,  at  length,  so  far  to  relax  in  it  as  to 
permit  me  to  wear  those  I  had  at  present,  which 
were  almost  worn  out,  and  not  to  compel  Thomp- 
son to  change  his  dress,  observing,  that  as  he  was 
an  old  man,  such  a  change  would  cause  his  death. 
Their  religious  celebration,  which  the  last  year, 
took  place  in  December,  was  in  this,  commenced 
on  the  1 5th  of  November,  and  continued  for  four- 
teen days.  As  I  was  now  considered  as  one  of 
them,  instead  of  being  ordered  to  the  woods,  Ma- 
quina  directed  Thompson  and  myself  to  remain, 
and  pray  with  them  to  Quahootze  to  be  good  to 
them,  and  thank  him  for  what  he  had  done.  It 
was  opened  in  much  the  same  manner  as  the  for- 
mer. After  which,\all  the  men  and  women  in  the 
village  assembled  at  JNIaquina's  house,  in  their 
plainest  dresses,  and  without  any  kind  of  ornaments 
about  them,  having  their  heads  bound  around  with 
the  red  fillet,  a  token  of  dejection  and  humiliation, 
and  tlieir  countenances  expressive  of  seriousness 
and  melancholy.  The  performances  during  the 
continuance  of  this  celebration,  consisted  almost 
wholly  in  singing  a  number  of  songs  to  mournful 
airs,  the  king  regulating  the  time  by  beating  on  his 
hollow  plank  or  drum,  accompanied  by  one  of  his 
chiefs,  seated  near  him  with  the  great  rattle.  In 
the  mean  time,  they  eat  but  seldom,  and  then  very 
little,  retiring  to  sleep  late,  and  rising  at  the  first 
appearance  of  dawn,  and  even  interrupting  this 
short  period  of  repose,  by  getting  up  at  midnight 
and  singing.  It  was  terminated  by  an  exhibition 
of  a  similar  character  to  the  one  of  the  last  year, 
but  still  more  cruel.  A  boy  of  twelve  years  old, 
with  six  bayonets  run  into  his  flesh,  one  through 
each  arm  and  thigh,  and  through  each  sidt;  close  to 


h>^^\x.ii- 


6  -■ 


\b\xj\.\ih^i'^. 


jewitt's  narrative. 


133 


the  ribs,  was  carried  around  the  room,  suspended 
upon  them,  without  manifesting  any  symptoms  of 
pain.  Maquina,  on  my  enquiring  the  reason  of 
this  display,  informed  me  that  it  was  an  ancient 
custom  of  his  nation,  to  sacrifice  a  man  at  the  close  . 
of  this  solemnity  in  honour  of  their  God,  but  that  ' 
his  father  had  abolished  it,  and  substituted  this  in 
its  i)lace.     The  whole  closed  (on  the  evening  of 


Ci^ 


^t'VN- 


the  29th^with  a  great  feast  of  salmon  spawn  and   ^j 
oil,  at  \vnich  the  natives  as  usual/  made  up  for  ^ 
their  late  abstinence./ 

A  few  days  after  a  circumstance  occurred, 
which,  from  its  singularity,  I  cannot  forbear  men- 
'tioning.  I  was  sent  for  \yj  my  neighbour  Yealth- 
I  lower^  the  king's  elder  brother,  to  file  his  teeth, 
which  operation  having  performed,  he  informed 
me  that  a  new  wife,  whom  he  had  a  little  time  be- 
fore purchased,  having  refused  to  sleep  w^ith  him, 
it  was  his  intention,  provided  she  persisted  in  her 
refusal,  to  bite  off  her  nose.  I  endeavoured  to 
dissuade  him  from  it,  but  he  was  determined,  and 
in  fact,  performed  his  savage  threat  that  very 
night,  saying  that  since  she  would  not  be  his  wife, 
she  should  not  be  that  of  any  other,  and  in  the 
morning  sent  her  back  to  her  father. 

This  inhuman  act   did  not,  however,  proceed 

from  any  innate  cruelty  of  disposition,  or  mahce, 

as  he  was  far  from  being  of  a  barbarous  temper; 

but  such  is  the  despotism  exercised  by   these   sa- 

\    vages  over  their  women,  that  he  no  doubt  consid- 

\  ered  it  as  a  just  punishment  for  her  ofl!ence,  in  be- 

\  ing  so  obstinate  and  perverse;  as  he  afterwards  told 

I  me,  that  in  similar  cases,  the  husband  had  a  right, 

j  with  them,  to  disfigure   his    wife  in  this  way,  or 

[  some  other,  to  prevent  her  ever  marrying  again. 

Abs'^tthe  middle  of  December,  we  left  Tash- 
■  7  12 


134 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I 

li 

\ 

! 


>' 


■ 


ees  for  Cooptee.  As  usual  at  this  season,  we 
found  the  herring  in  great  plenty,  and  here  the 
same  scene  of  riotous  feasting  as  I  witnessed  the 
last  year,  was  renewed  by  our  improvident  natives, 
who,  in  addition  to  their  usual  fare,  had  a  plenti- 
ful supply  ofwild  geese,  which  were  brought  us  in 
great  quantities  by  the  Esquates.  These,  as  Ma- 
quina  informed  me,  were  caught  with  nets  made 
from  bark,  in  the  fresh  waters  of  that  country. 
Those  who  take  them,  make  choice  for  that  pur- 
pose, of  a  dark  and  rainy  night,  and  with  their  ca- 
noes stuck  with  lighted  torches,  proceed  with  as 
little  noise  as  possible,  to  the  place  where  the 
geese  are  collected,  who,  dazzled  by  the  light, 
suffer  themselves  to  be  approached  very  near, 
when  the  net  is  thrown  over  them,  and  in  this 
manner,  from  fifty  to  sixty,  or  even  more,  will 
sometimes  be  taken  at  one  cast. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  1805,  about  midnight, 
I  was  thrown  into  considerable  alarm,  in  conse- 
quence of  an  eclipse  of  the  moon,  being  awakened 
from  my  sleep  by  a  great  outcry  of  the  inhabitants. 
On  going  to  discover  the  cause  of  this  tumult,  I 
found  them  all  out  of  their  liouses,  bearing  lighted 
torches,  singing  and  beating  upon  pieces  of  plank; 
and  when  I  asked  them  the  reason  of  this  proceed- 
ing, they  pointed  :o  the  moon,  and  said  that  a 
great  cod-fish  was  endeavouring  to  swallow  her, 
and  that  they  were  driving  him  away.  The  ori- 
gin of  this  superstition  I  could  not  discover. 

Though  in  some  respects,  my  situation  was  ren- 
dered more  comfortable  since  my  marriage,  as  I 
lived  in  a  more  cleanly  manner,  and  had  my  food 
better  and  more  neatly  cooked,  of  which,  besides, 
I  had  always  a  plenty,  my  slaves  generally  furnish- 
ing me,  and  Upquesta  never  failing  to  send  me  an 


jewitt's  narrative. 


135 


ample  supply  by  the  canoes  that  came  from  A-i-tiz- 
zart;  still,  from  my  being  obliged  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  to  change  my  accustomed  clothing,  and 
to  dress  like  the  natives,  with  only  a  piece  of  cloth 
of  about  two  yards  long,  thrown  loosely  around  me, 
my  European  clothes  having  been  for  some  time 
entirely  worn  out,  I  suffered  more  than  I  can  ex- 
press from  the  cold,  especially  as  I  was  compelled 
to  perform  the  laborious  task  of  cutting  and  bring- 
ing the  fire  wood,  which  was  rendered  still  more 
oppressive  to  me,  from  my  comrade  for  a  consi- 
derable part  of  the  winter,  not  having  it  in  his  i 
power  to  lend  me  his  aid,  in  consequence  of  an  v 
attack  of  the  rheumatism  in  one  of  his  knees,  with  \ 
which  he  suffered  for  more  than  four  mondis,  two  \ 
or  three  weeks  of  which  he  was  so  ill  as  to  be  un-  i 
able  to  leave  the  house.  This  state  of  suffering, 
with  the  little  hope  I  now  had  of  ever  escaping 
from  the  savages,  began  to  render  my  life  irksome 
to  me,  still,  however,  I  lost  not  my  confidence  in 
the  aid  of  the  Supreme  Being,  to  whom,  whenever 
the  weather  and  a  suspension  from  the  tasks  im- 
posed on  me,  would  permit,  I  never  failed  regu- 
larly, on  Sundays,  to  retire  to  the  woods  to  wor- 
ship, taking  Thompson  with  me  when  he  was  able 
to  go. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  we  returned  to  our 
summer  quarters  at  Nootka,  but  on  my  part,  with 
far  different  sensations  than  the  last  spring,  being 
now  almost  in  despair  of  any  vessel  arriving  to  re- 
lease liS,  or  our  being  permitted  to  depart  if  there 
should. — Soon  after  our  return,  as  preparatory  to 
the  whaling  season,  Maquina  ordered  me  to  nake 
a  good  number  of  harpoons  for  himself  and  his 
chiefs,  several  of  which  I  had  completed  with 
8ome  lanoes,  when  on  the  16th  of  March,  I  was 


136 


jewitt's  narrative. 


i 


taken  very  ill  with  a  violent  cholic,  caused,  I  pre- 
sume, from  my  having  suffered  so  much  from  the 
cold  in  going  without  proper  clothing.  For  a 
number  of  hours  I  was  in  great  pain,  and  expected 
to  die,  and  on  its  leaving  me,  I  was  so  weak  as 
scarcely  to  be  able  to  stand,  while  I  had  nothing 
comforting  to  take,  nor  any  thing  to  drink  but  cold 
water.  On  the  day  following,  a  slave  belonging  to 
Maquina  died,  and  was  immediately,  as  is  their 
custom  in  such  cases,  tossed  unceremoniously  out 
of  doors,  from  whence  he  was  taken  by  some  others, 
and  thrown  into  the  water.  The  treatment  of  this 
poor  creature  made  a  melancholy  impression  up«  :i 
my  mind,  as  I  could  not  but  think,  that  such  pro- 
bably, would  be  my  fate  should  I  die  among  these 
heathen,  and  so  far  from  receiving  a  decent  burial, 
that  I  should  not  even  be  allowed  the  comm.on  privi- 
lege of  having  a  little  earth  thrown  over  my  remains. 
The  feebleness  in  which  the  violent  attack  of 
my  disorder  had  left  me,  the  dejection  I  felt  at  the 
almost  hopelessness  of  my  situation,  and  the  want 
of  warm  clothing  and  proper  nursing,  though  my 
Indian  wife,  as  far  as  she  knew  how,  was  ahvays 
ready,  and  even  solicitous,  to  do  every  thing  for 
me  she  could,  still  kept  me  very  much  indisposed, 
which  Maquina  perceiving,  he  finally  told  me,  that 
if  I  did  not  like  living  with  my  wife,  and  that  was 
the  cause  of  my  being  so  sad,  I  might  part  with 
her.  This  proposal  I  readily  accepted,  and  the 
next  day  Maquina  sent  her  back  to  her  father. 
On  parting  with  me,  she  discovered  much  emotion, 
begging  me  that  I  would  suffer  her  to  remain  till  I 
had  recovered,  as  there  was  no  one  who  wouVl 
take  so  good  care  of  me  as  hei'self.  But  wLen  I 
told  her  she  must  go,  for  that  I  did  not  tbi^k  I 
should  ever  recover,   which   in  truth   I  but  little 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


137 


I 


expected,  and  that  her  father  would  take  good 
care  of  her,  and  treat  her  much  more  kindly  than 
Maquina,  she  took  an  aflcctioMate  leave,  telling  me 
that  she  hoped  I  should  soon  get  better,  and  left 
her  two  slaves  to  take  care  of  me. 

Though  I  rejoiced  at  her  departure,  I  was 
greatly  afi'ected  with  die  simple  ex])ressions  of  her 
regard  for  me,  and  could  not  but  feel  strongly  in- 
teiested  for  this  poor  girl,  who  in  all  her  conduct 
towards  me,  had  discovered  so  much  mildness  and 
attention  to  my  wishes;  and  had  it  not  been  that  I 
considered  her  as  an  almost  insuperable  obstacle 
to  my  being  permitted  to  leave  tlie  country,  I 
should  no  doubt  have  felt  the  depriv^ation  of  her 
society  a  real  loss.  After  her  departure,  I  request- 
ed Maquina,  that,  as  I  had  parted  with  my  wife, 
he  would  permit  me  .0  resume  my  European  dress, 
for,  otherwise,  from  not  having  been  accustomed 
to  dress  like  them,  I  should  certainly  die.  To 
this  he  consented,  and  I  once  more  became  com- 
fortably clad. 

Change  of  clothing,  but  more  than  all,  the  hopes 
which  I  now  began  to  indulge,  that  in  the  course 
of  the  summer  I  should  be  able  to  escape,  in  a 
short  time  restored  me  to  health,  so  far,  that  I 
could  again  go  to  work  in  making  harpoons  for 
Maquina,  who,  probably,  fearing  that  he  should 
have  to  part  with  me,  determined  to  provide  him- 
self with  a  good  stock. 

I  shall  not  however,  longer  detain  the  reader 
with  a  detail  of  occurrences  that  intervened  between 
this  period,  and  that  of  my  escape,  which,  from 
that  dull  uniformity  that  marks  the  savage  life, 
would  be  in  a  measure,  but  repetitions,  nor  dwell 
upon  that  mental  torture  ^  endured,  from  a  con- 
stant conflict  of  hope  and  fear,  when  the  former, 

12* 


138 


JEW1TT*S  NARRATIVE. 


almost  wearied  out  with  repeated  disappointment, 
offered  to  our  sinking  hearts  no  prospect  of  release, 
but  death,  to  wliich  we  were  constantly  exj)osed 
from  die  brutal  ignorance  and  savage  disposition 
of  the  conmion  people,  who  in  the  various  coiiiir- 
cils  that  were  held  diis  season  to  determine  wlnit 
to  do  with  us,  in  case  of  the  arrival  of  a  shij),  w  ere 
almost  always  for  putting  us  to  death,  expecting 
by  that  means  to  conceal  the  murder  of  our  crew, 
and  to  throw  the  blame  of  it  on  some  other  tribe. 
These  ba  l'^"rus  sentiments,  were,  however,  uni- 
formly oppc  by  Maquina  and  his  chiefs,  wlio 
would  not  consent  to  our  being  injured.  But  as 
some  of  their  customs  and  traits  of  national  char- 
acter, which  I  think  deserving  of  notice,  have  not 
been  mentioned,  I  shall  proceed  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  them. 

The  office  of  king  or  chief,  is,  with  those  peo- 
ple, hereditary,  and  descends  to  the  eldest  son,  or 
in  failure  of  male  issue,  to  the  elder  brother,  \\  ho 
in  the  regular  line,  is  considered  as  the  second 
person  in  the  kingdom.  At  feasts,  as  I  have  ob- 
served, the  king  is  always  placed  in  the  higliest, 
or  seat  of  honour,  and  die  chiefs  according  to  thoir 
respective  ranks,  which  appear,  in  general,  to  be 
determined  by  their  affinity  to  the  royal  family; 
ihey  are  also  designated  by  the  embellishments  of 
their  mantles,  or  Kutsaks.  The  king  or  head  Tyee, 
is  their  leader  in  war,  in  the  management  of  which 
he  is  perfectly  absolute.  He  is  also  president  of 
their  councils,  which  are  almost  always  regulated 
by  his  opinion.  But  he  has  no  kind  of  power 
over  the  property  of  his  subjects,  nor  can  he  re- 
quire them  to  contribute  to  his*  wants,  being  in 
this  respect,  no  more  privileged  than  any  other 
person.     He  has  in  common   with  his  chiefs,  the 


JEWITT  8  NARRATIVE. 


139 


right  of  holding  slaves,  which  is  not  enjoyed  by 
private  individuals,  a  regulation  probably  arising 
from  their  having  been  originally  captives  taken  in 
battle,  the  spoils  of  war  being  understood  as  ap- 
pertaining to  the  king,  who  receives  and  apportions 
iheni  among  his  several  chiefs  and  warriors,  ac- 
cording to  their  rank  and  deserts.  In  conformity 
with  this  idea,  the  plunder  of  tlie  Boston,  was  all 
deposited  in  Maquina's  iiouse,  who  distributed  part 
of  it  among  his  chiefs,  according  to  their  respec- 
tive ranks  or  degree  of  favour  with  him,  giving  to 
one,  three  hundred  mus!:ets,  to  another,  one  hundred 
and  fifty,  with  other  things  in  hke  proportion. 
The  king  is,  however,  obliged  to  support  his  dig- 
nity by  making  frecpient  entertainments;  and  when- 
ever he  receives  a  large  supply  of  provisions,  he 
must  invite  all  the  men  of  his  tribe  to  his  house,  to 
eat  it  up,  otherwise,  as  Maquina  told  me,  he  would 
not  be  considered  as  conducting  like  a  Tyee, 
and  would  be  no  more  thought  of  than  a  com- 
mon man. 

With  regnvd  to  their  rehgion — They  believe  in 
the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  whom  they  call 
Quahootze^  and  who,  to  use  Maquina's  expression, 
was  one  great  Tyee  in  the  sky,  who  gave  them  their 
fish,  and  could  take  them  from  them,  and  was  the 
greatest  of  all  kings.  Their  usual  place  of  wor- 
ship, appeared  to  be  the  water,  for  whenever  they 
bathed,  they  addressed  some  words  in  form  of 
prayer  to  God  above,  intr eating  that  he  would 
preserve  them  in  health,  give  them  good  success 
in  fishing,  &c.  These  prayers  were  repeated  with 
much  more  energy,  on  preparing  for  whaling  or  for 
war,  as  I  have  already  mentioned.  Some  of  them 
would  sometimes  go  several  miles  to  bathe,  in  order 
to  do  it  in  secret;  the  reason  for  this  I  could  never 


140 


jewitt's  narrative. 


learn,  though  I  am  induced  to  think  it  was  in  conse- 
quence of  some  family  or  private  quarrel,  and  that 
they  did  not  wish  what  they  said  to  he  heard; 
while  at  other  times,  thoy  would  repair  in  the  same 
secret  manner  to  the  woods,  to  pray.  This  was 
more  particularly  the  case  with  the  women,  who 
might  also  have  been  prompted  by  a  sentiment  of 
decency,  to  retire  for  the  purpose  of  bathing,  as 
they  are  remarkably  modest.  I  once  found  one 
of  our  women  more  than  two  miles  from  the  vil- 
lage, on  her  knees  in  the  woods,  with  her  eyes 
shut,  and  her  face  turned  towards  heaven,  utter- 
ing words  in  a  lamentable  tone,  among  which  I 
distinctly  heard,  JVocash  jih-ivelth,  meaning  good 
Lord,  and  which  has  nearly  the  same  signification 
with  Quahootze.  Though  I  came  very  near  her,  she 
appeared  not  to  notice  me,  but  continued  her  de- 
votions; and  I  have  frequently  seen  the  women  go 
alone  into  the  woods,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
addressing  themselves  to  a  superior  being,  and  it 
was  always  very  perceptible  on  their  return,  when 
they  had  thus  been  employed,  from  their  silence 
and  melancholy  looks. 

They  have  no  belief  however,  in  a  state  of  fu- 
ture existence,  as  I  discovered  in  conversation  with 
Maquina,  at  Tootoosch^s  death,  on  my  attempting 
to  convince  him,  that  he  still  existed,  and  that  he 
would  again  see  him  after  his  death :  but  he  could 
comprehend  nothing  of  it,  and  pointing  to  the 
ground,  said  that  there  was  the  end  of  him,  and 
that  he  was  like  that.  Nor  do  they  believe  in 
ghosts,  notwithstanding  the  case  of  Tootoosch 
would  appear  to  contradict  this  assertion,  but  that 
was  a  remarkable  instance,  and  such  a  one  as  had 
never  been  known  to  occur  before;  yet  from  the 
mummeries  performed  over  the  sick,  it  is  very  ap- 


jewitt's  narrative. 


141 


fu. 
'ith 


the 
ind 
in 
ch 
lat 
ad 


parent  that  they  believe  in  the  agency  of  spirits,  as 
they  attribute  disease  to  some  evil  one  that  has  en- 
tered the  body  of  the  patient.  Neither  have  they 
any  priests,  unless  a  kind  of  conjuror  may  be  so 
considered,  who  sings  and  prays  over  the  sick,  to 
drive  away  the  evil  spirit. 

On  the  birth  of  twins,  they  have  a  most  singular 
custom,  which,  I  presume,  has  its  origin  in  some 
religious  opinion,  but  what  it  is,  I  could  never  sat- 
isfactorily learn.  The  father  is  prohibited  for  the 
space  of  two  years  from  eating  any  kind  of  meat, 
or  fresh  fish,  during  which  time,  he  does  no  kind 
of  labour  whatever,  being  supplied  with  what  he 
has  occasion  for  from  the  tribe.  In  the  mean 
time  he  and  his  wife,  who  is  also  obliged  to^,  con- 
form to  the  same  abstinence,  with  their  children, 
live  entirely  separate  from  the  otliers,  a  small  hut 
being  built  for  their  accommodation,  and  he  is  never 
invited  to  any  of  the  feasts,  except  such  as  con- 
sist wholly  of  dried  provision,  where  he  is  treated 
with  great  respect,  and  seated  among  the  chiefs, 
though  no  more  himself,  than  a  private  individual. 
Such  births  are  very  rare  among  them;  an  instance 
of  the  kind  however  occurred  while  I  was  at  Tash- 
ees  the  last  time,  but  it  was  the  only  one  known 
since  the  reign  of  the  former  king.  The  father 
always  appeared  very  thoughtful  and  gloomy,  never 
associated  with  the  other  inhabitants,  and  w^as  at 
none  of  the  feasts  but  such  as  were  entirely  of 
dried  provision,  and  of  this,  he  eat  not  to  excess, 
and  constantly  retired  before  the  amusements  com- 
menced. His  dress  was  very  plain,  and  he  wore 
around  his  head  the  red  fillet  of  bark,  the  symbol 
of  mourning  and  devotion.  It  was  his  daily  prac- 
tice to  repair  to  the  mountain,  with  a  chief's  rattle 
in  his  liand,  to  sing  and  pray,  as  Maqaina  informed 


142 


jewitt's  narrative. 


I 


me,  for  the  fish  to  come  into  their  waters.  When 
not  thus  employed,  he  kept  continually  at  home, 
except  when  sent  for  to  sing  and  perform  his  cere- 
monies over  the  sick,  being  considered  as  a  sacred 
character,  and  one  much  in  favour  with  their 
gods. 

These  people  are  remarkably  healthful,  and  live 
to  a  very  advanced  age,  having  quite  a  youthful 
appearance  for  their  years.  They  have  scarcely 
any  disease  but  the  cholic,  their  remedy  for  which, 
is  friction,  a  person  rubbing  the  bowels  of  the  sick 
violently,  until  the  pain  has  subsided,  while  the 
conjuror  or  holy  man,  is  employed,  in  the  mean 
time,  in  making  his  gestures,  singing,  and  repeating 
cert^n  words,  and  blowing  off  the  evil  spirit,  when 
the  patient  is  wrapped  up  in  a  bear  skin  in  order  to 
produce  perspiration.  Their  cure  for  the  rheuma- 
tism, or  similar  pains,  which  I  saw  applied  by  Maqui- 
na,  in  the  case  of  Thompson,  to  whom  it  gave  re- 
lief, is  by  cutting  or  scarifying  the  part  affected. 
In  dressing  wounds,  they  simply  wash  them  with 
salt  water,  and  bind  them  up  with  a  strip  of  cloth, 
or  the  bark  of  a  tree.  They  are,  however,  very 
expert  and  successful  in  the  cure  of  fractured  or 
dislocated  limbs,  reducing  them  very  dexterously, 
and  after  binding  them  up  with  bark,  supporting 
them  with  blocks  of  wood,  so  as  to  preserve 
their  position.  During  the  whole  time  I  was 
among  them,  but  five  natural  deaths  occurred, 
Tootoosch  and  his  two  children,  an  infant  son  of 
Maquina,  and  the  slave  whom  I  have  mentioned,  a 
cirumstance  not  a  little  remarkable  in  a  population 
of  about  fifteen  hundred;  and  as  respects  child- 
birth, so  light  do  they  make  of  it,  tiiat  I  have  seen 
their  women  the  day  after,  employed  as  usual,  as  if 
little  or  nothing  had  happened. 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


143 


I 


The  Nootkians  in  their  conduct  towards  each 
other,  are  in  general  pacific  and  inoffensive,  and 
appear  by  no  means  an  ill  tempered  race,  for  I  do 
not  recollect  any  instance  of  a  violent  quarrel  be- 
tween any  of  the  men,  or  the  men  and  their  wives, 
while  I  was  with  them,  that  of  Yealthlower  ex- 
cepted. But  when  they  are  in  the  least  offended, 
they  appear  to  be  in  the  most  violent  rage,  acting 
like  so  many  maniacs,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  kick- 
ing and  spitting  most  furiously;  but  this  is  rather  a 
fashion  with  them,  than  a  demonstration  of  malig- 
nity, as  in  their  public  speeches,  they  use  the  same 
violence,  and  he  is  esteemed  the  greatest  orator, 
who  bawls  the  loudest,  stamps,  tosses  himself 
about,  foams  and  spits  the  most. 

In  speaking  of  their  regulations,  I  have  omitted 
mentioning,  that  on  attaining  the  age  of  seventeen, 
the  eldest  son  of  a  chief,  is  considered  as  a  chief 
himself,  and  that  whenever  the  father  makes  a  pres- 
ent, it  is  always  done  in  the  name  of  his  eldest  son, 
or  if  he  has  none,  in  that  of  his  daughter.  The 
chiefs,  frequently  purchase  their  wives  at  the  age 
of  eight  or  ten,  to  prevent  their  being  engaged  by 
others,  though  they  do  not  take  them  from  their 
parents  until  they  are  sixteen. 

With  regard  to  climate,  the  greater  part  of  the 
spring,  summer,  and  autumn,  is  very  pleasant,  the 
weather  being  at  no  time  oppressively  hot,  and 
the  winters  uncommonly  mild,  for  so  high  a  lati 
tude,  at  least  as  far  as  my  experience  went.  A. 
Tashees  and  Cooptee,  where  we  passed  the  cold- 
est part  of  the  season,  the  winter  did  not  set  in  till 
late  in  December,  nor  have  I  ever  known  the  ice, 
even  on  the  fresh  water  ponds,  more  than  two  or 
three  inches  in  thickness,  or  a  snow  exceeding  four 
inches  in  depth;  but  what  is  wanting  in  snow,  is  am- 


jewitt's  narrative. 


11 


I  '  i 


()ly  made  up  in  rain;  as  I  have  frequently  known  it 
during  the  winter  months,  rain  almost  incessantly 
or  five  or  six  days  in  succession. 

It  was  now  past  mid-summer,  and  the  hopes  we 
had  indulged  of  our  release,  became  daily  more 
faint,  for  though  we  had  heard  of  no  less  than  seven 
vessels  on  the  coast,  yet  none  appeared  inclined  to 
venture  to  Nootka.  The  destruction  of  the  Boston, 
the  largest,  strongest,  and  best  equipped  ship,  with 
much  the  most  valuable  cargo  of  any  that  had  ever 
been  fitted  out  for  the  North- West  trade,  had  inspir- 
ed the  commanders  of  others  with  a  general  dread 
of  coming  thither;  lest  they  should  share  the  same 
fate;  and  though  in  the  letter  I  wrote  (imploring 
those  who  should  receive  them,  to  come  to  the 
relief  of  two  unfortunate  Christians  who  were  suf- 
fering among  heathen),  I  stated  the  cause  of  the 
Boston's  capture,  and  that  there  was  not  the  least 
danger  in  coming  to  Nootka,  provided  they  would 
follow  the  directions  I  laid  down;  still  I  felt  very 
little  encouragement,  that  any  of  these  Ltters  would 
come  to  hand,  whehfon  the  morning  of  the  nine- 
teenth of  July,  a  daylffat  will  be  ever  held  by  me 
in  grateful  remembrance/  of  the  mercies  of  God, 
while  I  was  employed  with  Thompson  in  forging 
daggers  for  the  king,  my  ears  were  saluted  with  the 
joyful  sound  of  three  cannon,  and  the  cries  of  the 
inhabitants,  exclaiming,  Weena,  weena — Mameth- 
lee — that  is,  strangers — white  men/ 

Soon  after,  several  of  our  people  came  running 
into  the  house,  to  inform  me  that  a  vessel  under 
full  sail  was  coming  into  the  harbour.  Though 
my  heart  bounded  with  joy,  I  repressed  my  feel 
ings,  and  affecting  to  pay  no  attention  to  what  wa* 
said,  told  Thompson  to  be  on  his  guard,  and  no 
betray  any  joy,  as  our  release,  and  perhaps  ot- 


JEWITT's  NARRATITI* 


146 


lO 


^_ 


Arrival  of  the  brig  Lydia,  at  Nootka  Sound. 

lives,  depended  on  our  conducting  ourselves  so  as 
to  induce  the  natives  to  suppose  we  were  not  very 
anxious  to  leave  them.     We  continued  our  work^ 
as  if  nothing  had  happened,  when  in  a  few  minutes 
after,  Maquina  came  in,  and  seeing  us   at  work 
appeared  much  surprised,  and  asked  me  if  I.  did 
not  know  that  a  vessel  had  come.     I  answered  in    ! 
a  careless   manner,  that  it  was    nothing  to    me.    » 
How,  John^  said  he,  you  no  glad  go  board.     I     \ 
replied  that  I  cared  very  little  about  it,  as  I  had 
become  reconciled  to  their  manner  of  living,  and 
had  no  wish  to  go  aw^ay.     He  then  told  me,  that  he 
had  called  a  council  of  his  people  respecting  us,     j       ^ 
and  that  we  must  leave  off  work  and  ue  present  at  it.  /   "^ 

The  men  having  assembled  at  Maquina 's  house, 
he  asked  them  what  was  their  opinion  should  be 
done  with  Thompson  and  myself  now  a  vessel  had 
arrived,  and  wheUier  he  had  not  better  go  on  board 
himself,  to  make  a  trade,  and  procur*  such  articles 
as  were  wanted.  Each  one  of  tie  tribe  who 
wished,  gave  his  opinion.  Some  were  for  putting 
us  to  death,  and  pretendiqg  to  the  strangers,  that 

13 


14C 


JEW1TT*S  NARRATIVE. 


a  difierent  nation  had  cut  off  tlie  Boston,  while 
others,  less  barbarous,  were  for  sending  us  fifteen 
or  twenty  miles  back  into  the  country  until  the  de- 
parture of  the  vessel.  These,  however,  were  the 
sentiments  of  the  common  people,  the  cliiefs  op- 
posing our  being  put  to  death,  or  injured,  and 
several  of  them,  among  the  most  forward  of  whom 
were  Yealthlower  and  the  young  chief,  Tooxcin- 
nakinnish,  were  for  immediately  releasing  us;  but 
this,  if  he  could  avoid  it,  by  no  means  appeared  to 
accord  with  Maquina's  wishes. 

Having  mentioned  Toowinnakinnish,  I  shall 
briefly  observe,  that  he  was  a  young  man  of  about 
twenty- three  years  old,  the  only  son  of  Toopees- 
hottee,  the  oldest  and  most  respected  chief  of  the 
tribe.  His  son  had  always  been  remarkably  k'^d 
and  friendly  to  me,  and  I  had  in  return  frequr  ' 
made  for  him  daggers,  cheetoolths,  and  other  thinj^s, 
in  my  best  manner.  He  was  one  of  the  hand- 
somest men  among  them,  very  amiable,  and  much 
milder  in  his  manners  than  any  of  the  others,  as 
well  as  neater  both  in  his  person  and  house,  at 
least  his  apartment,  without  even  excepting  Ma- 
quina. 

With  regard,  however,  to  Maquina's  going  on 
board  the  vessel,  which  he  discovered  a  strong  in- 
clination to  do,  there  was  but  one  opinion,  all  re- 
monstrating against  it,  telling  him  that  the  captain 
would  kill  him  or  keep  him  a  prisoner,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  having  destroyed  our  ship.  When 
Maquina  had  heard  their  opinions,  he  told  them 
that  he  was  not  afraid  of  being  hurt  from  going  on 
board  the  vessel,  but  that  he  would,  however,  in 
that  respect,  be  guided  by  John,  whom  he  had 
always  found  true.  He  then  turned  to  me,  and 
asked  me  if  I  thought  there  would  be  any  danger 


jewitt's  narrative. 


147 


in  his  going  on  board.  I  answered,  that  I  was  not 
surprised  at  the  advice  his  people  had  given  him, 
unacquainted  as  they  were  with  the  manners  of  the 
white  mon,  and  judging  them  by  their  own,  but  if 
they  had  been  with  them  as  much  as  I  iiiid,  or 
even  himself,  they  would  think  very  'JiUcront. 
That  he  had  almost  always  experienced  good  and 
civil  treatment  from  them,  nor  had  he  any  r(>iison 
to  fear  the  contrary  now,  as  they  never  attempted 
to  harm  those  who  did  not  injure  them,  and  if  he 
wished  to  go  on  board,  he  might  do  it,  in  my 
opinion,  with  security. — After  reflecting  a  few 
moments,  ho  said,  with  much  apparent  satisfaction, 
that  if  I  would  write  a  letter  to  the  captain,  telling 
him  good  of  him  that  hr  had  treated  Thompson 
and  myself  kindly  since  we  had  been  with  him, 
and  to  use  him  well,  he  would  go.  It  may  readi- 
ly be  supposed  that  I  felt  much  joy  at  this  deter- 
mination; but  knowing  that  the  least  incaution 
might  annihilate  all  my  hopes  of  escape,  I  was 
careful  not  to  manifest  it,  and  to  treat  his  going  or 
staying  as  a  matter  perfectly  indifferent  to  me.  I 
told  him  that  if  he  wished  me  to  write  such  a  letter, 
I  had  no  objection,  as  it  was  the  truth,  otherwise 
I  could  not  have  done  it. 

I  then  proceeded  to  write  the  recommendatory 
letter,  which  the  reader  will  naturally  imagine  was 
of  a  somewhat  difl?erent  tenor  from  the  one  he  had 
required;  for  if  deception  is  in  any  case  warranta- 
ble, it  was  certainly  so  in  a  situation  like  ours, 
where  the  only  chance  of  regaining  that  freedom 
of  which  we  had  been  so  unjustly  deprived,  de- 
pended upon  it;  and  I  trust  that  few,  even  of  the 
most  rigid,  will  condemn  me  with  severity  for 
making  use  of  it,  on  an  occasion  which  afforded 
me  the  only  hope  of  ever  more  beholding  a  Chris- 


148 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIYB. 


tian  country,  and  preserving  myself,  if  not  from 
death,  at  least  from  a  life  of  continued  suffering. 

The  letter  which  I  wrote,  was  nearly  ui  the  fol- 
lowing terms : — 


To  Captain 


\.iih^ 


(iV 


i 


Sir, 


of  the  Brig , 

Kootka^  July  19,  1805, 


THE  bearer  of  this  letter  is  the  Indian  king  by 

the  name  of  Maquina.     He  was  the  instigator  of 

the  capture»the  ship  Boston,  of  Boston  in  North 

\      America,  John  Salter  captain,  and  of  the  murder  of 

\     twenty-five  men  of  her  crew,  the  two  only  survivors 

\    being  now  on  shore — Wherefore  I  hope  you  will 

'      take   care   to  confine  him  according  to  his  merits, 

putting  in  your  dead  lights,  and  keeping  so  good  a 

watch  over  him,  that  he  cannot  escape  from  you. 

By  so  doing  we  shall  be  able  to  obtain  our  reltase  in 

the  course  of  a  few  hours. 

JOHN  P.  JEWITT,  Armourer 

of  the  Boston,  for  himself  and 
John  Thompson,  Sail-maker  of  said  ship, 

I  have  been  asked  how  I  dared  to  write  in  this 
manner:  my  answer  is,  that  from  my  long  resi- 
dence among  these  people,  I  knew  that  I  had  little 
to  apprehend  from  their  anger  on  hearing  of  their 
king  being  confined,  while  they  knew  his  life  de- 
pended upon  my  release,  and  that  they  would  soon- 
er have  given  up  five  hundred  white  men,  than 
have  had  him  injured.     This  will  serve  to  explain 


c  ( 


•v. 


tv 


A    I 


*    '    < 


jewitt's  narrative 


149 


■■r^ 


r 


\ 


the  little  apprehension  I  felt  at  their  menaces  after- 


wards, for  otherwise,  sweet  as 


liberty 


\  ;i 


to  me, 


I  should  hardly  have  ventured  on  so  hazcudous  an 


exp 


erniieiit. 


On  my  giving  the  letter  to  Maquina,  he  asked 
me  to  explain  it  to  him.  This  I  did  line  by  line, 
as  he  })oiiited  them  out  with  his  finger,  but  in  a 
sense  very  diliercnt  from  the  real,  giving  him  to 
understand  that  I  had  written  to  the  ca])tain,  that 
as  he  had  been  kind  to  me  since  I  had  been  taken 
by  him,  diat  it  was  my  w^ish  that  the  captain  should 
treat  him  accordingly,  and  give  him  what  molass- 
es, biscuit,  and  rum  he  wanted.  When  I  had 
finished,  placing  his  finger  in  a  significant  manner 
on  niy  name  at  the  bottom,  and  eyeing  me  with  a 
look  that  seemed  to  read  my  inmost  thoughts,  he 
said  to  me,  /"  John,  you  no  lie?"  ^l^ever  did  I 
undergo  suclf  a  scrutiny,  or  ever  expeneiice  great- 
er apprehensions  than  I  felt  at  that  moment,  when 
my  destiny  was  suspended  on  the  slightest  tliread, 
and  the  least  mark  of  embarrassment  on  mine,  or 
suspicion  of  treachery  on  his  part,  would  probably 
have  rendered  my  life  the  sacrifice.  Fortunately 
I  was  able  to  preserve  my  composure,  and  my  be- 
ing painted  in  the  Indian  manner,  which  Maquina 
had  since  my  marriage,  required  of  me,  })revented 
any  change  in  my  countenance  from  being  noticed, 
and  I  rephed  with  considerable  promptitude,  look- 
ing at  him  in  my  turn,  with  all  the  confidence  I 
could  muster,  (3l^hy  do  you  ask  me  such  a  ques- 
tion, Tyee.''  have  you  ever  known  nii*  to  lie.'^'* 
[^^T^o."  '^'  l^hsn  how  can  you  suppose  I  should 
tell  you  a  ue  now,  since  I  have  never  done  it." 
As  I  was  speaking,  he  still  continued  looknig  at 
me  with  the  same  piercing  e}  ,  but  obser\  ing  noth- 
ing to  excite  liis  suspicion,  he  told  me  that  he  bo- 

13* 


150 


jkwitt's  narrative. 


i 


i 


lieved  what  I  said  was  true,  and  that  he  would  go 
on  board,  and  gave  orders  to  get  ready  his  canoe. 
His  chiefs  again  attempted  to  dissuade  him,  using 
every  argument  for  tha:  purpose,  while  his  wives 
crowded  around  hmi,  begging  him  on  their  knees, 
not  to  trust  himself  with  the  white  men.  Fortu- 
nately for  my  companion  and  myself,  so  strong  was 
his  wish  of  going  on  board  the  vessel,  that  he  was 
deaf  to  their  solicitations,  and  making  no  other  re- 
ply to  them,  than,  *'  John  no  lie,"  left  the  house, 
taking  four  prime  skins  with  him  as  a  present  to  the 
captain. 

Scarcely  had  the  canoe  put  off,  when  he  order- 
ed his  men  to  stop,  and  calling  to  me,  asked  me 
if  I  did  not  want  to  go  on  board  with  him.  Sus- 
pecting this  as  a  question  merely  intended  to  en- 
snare me,  I  replied  that  I  had  no  wish  to  do  it,  not 
having  any  desire  to  leave  them. 

On  going  on  board  the  brig,  Maquina  immedi- 
ately gave  his  present  of  skins  and  my  letter  to  the 
captain,  who  on  reading  it,  asked  him  into  the 
cabin,  where  he  gave  him  some  biscuit  and  a  glass 
of  rum,  at  the  same  time,  privately  directing  his 
mate  to  go  forward,  and  return  with  five  or  six  of 
tl  men  armed.  When  they  appeared,  the  cap- 
tain told  Maquina  that  he  was  his  prisoner,  and 
should  coD'cinue  so,  until  the  two  men,  whom  h 
knew  to  bt;  on  shore,  were  released,  at  the  same 
time  ordering  him  to  be  put  in  irons,  and  the  win- 
dows secured,  which  was  instantly  done,  and  a 
couple  of  men  placed  as  a  guard  over  him.  Ma- 
quina was  greatly  surprised  and  terrified  at  this  re- 
ception; he  however,  made  no  attempt  to  resist, 
but  requested  the  captain  to  permit  one  of  his  men 
to  come  and  see  him.  One  of  them  was  accord- 
ingly called,  and  Maquina  said  something  to  him 


JEWITT*8  NIRRATIVE. 


151 


v/hich  the  captain  did  not  understand,  but  suppos- 
ed to  be  an  order  to  release  us,  when  the  man  re- 
turning to  the  canoe,  it  was  paddled  ofTwith  the 
utmost  expedition  to  the  shore.  As  the  canoe  ap- 
proached, the  inhabitants,  who  liad  all  collected 
upon  the  beach,  manifested  some  uneasiness  at  not 
seeing  their  king  on  board,  but  when  on  its  arrival, 
they  were  told  that  the  captain  had  made  him  a 
prisoner,  and  that  John  had  spoke  bad  about  him 
in  a  letter,  they  all  both  men  and  women,  set  up 
a  loud  howl,  and  ran  backwards  and  forwards  upon 
the  shore  like  so  many  lunatics,  scratching  their 
faces,  and  tearing  the  hair  in  handfuls  from  their 
heads. 

After  they  had  beat  about  in  this  manner  for 
some  time,  the  men  ran  to  their  huts  for  their 
weapons,  as  if  preparing  to  attack  an  invading 
enemy;  while  Maquina's  wives  and  the  rest  of  the 
women,  came  around  me,  and  throwins;  themselves 
on  their  knees,  begged  m^^  with  tears  to  spare  his 
life,  and  Sat-sat-sak-sis,  sA\o  kept  constantly  with 
me,  taking  me  by  the  hand,  wept  1  itterly,  and  j<^'in- 
ed  his  entreaties  to  theirs,  that  1  would  not  let  the 
white  men  kill  his  father.  I  told  them  not  to  af- 
flict themselves,  that  Maquina's  life  was  in  ro  Gan- 
ger, nor  would  the  least  harm  be  done  t^   him. 

The  men  were  however,  extremely  exasperated 
with  me,  more  particularly  the  common  \v  )ple, 
who  came  ruiming  in  the  most  furious  ni  aer  to- 
wards me,  brandishing  their  weapons,  and  threat- 
ening to  cut  me  in  pieces  no  bigger  than  tlveir 
thumb  nails,  while  others  declared  they  would 
burn  me  alive  over  a  slow  fire,  suspended  by  my 
heels.  All  this  fury,  however,  caused  me  but  lit- 
tle alarm,  as  I  felt  convinced  they  would  not  dare 
to  execute  their  threats  while  the  king  was    on 


152 


jewitt's  narrative. 


(- 


board  the  brig.  The  chiefs  took  no  part  in  this 
violent  conduct,  but  came  to  me  and  enquired  the 
reason  why  Maquina  had  been  thus  treated,  and  if 
the  captain  intended  to  kill  him.  I  told  them  that 
if  they  would  silence  the  people,  so  tliat  I  could 
be  heard,  I  would  explain  all  to  them.  They 
immediately  put  a  stop  to  the  noise,  when  I  in- 
formed them  that  the  cup  tain  in  confining  Maquina, 
had  done  it  of  his  own  accord,  and  only  in  order 
to  make  them  release  Thompson  and  myself,  as 
he  well  knew  we  were  with  them,  and  if  they 
would  do  that,  their  king  would  receive  no  in- 
jury, but  be  well  treated,  otherwise  he  would  be 
kept  a  prisoner.  !  As  many  of  them  did  not  appear 
to  be  satisfied  witn  this,  and  began  to  repeat  their 
murderous  threats-^Kill  me,  said  I  to  them;  if  it 
is  your  wish,  throwing  open  the  bear  skin  which  I 
wore,  here  is  my  breast,'  I  am  only  one  among  so 
many,  and  can  make  no  resistance,  but  unless  you 
wish  to  see  your  king  hanging  by  his  neck  to  that 
pole,  pointing  to  the  yard  arm  of  the  brig,  and  the 
sailors  firing  at  him  with  bullets,  you  will  not  do  it.  7 
0  no,  was  the  general  cry,  that  must  never  be;  but 
what  must  we  do?  -I  told  them  that  their  best 
plan  would  be,  to  send  Thompson  on  board,  to 
desire  the  captain  to  use  Maquina  well  till  T  was  re- 
leased, which  would  be  soon.  This  they  were 
perfectl}  willing  to  do,  and  I  directed  Thompson 
to  go  on  board.  But  he  objected,  saying  that  he 
would  not  leave  me  alone  with  the  savap;es.  I  told 
him  not  to  be  under  any  fear  for  me,  for  that  if  I 
could  get  him  off,  I  could  manage  well  enough  for 
myself,  and  that  I  wished  him  immediately  on  get- 
ting on  board  the  brig,  to  see  the  captain,  nr.d  re- 
quest him  to  keep  Maquina  close  till  I  wh^  '-eleas- 
ed,  as  I  was  in  no  danger  while  he  had  hnr,  safe,  f 


jewitt's  narrative. 


153 


When  I  saw  Thompson  off,  I  asked  the  natives 
what  they  intended  to  do  with  me.  Tliey  said  I 
must  talk  to  the  captain  again,  in  another  letter, 
and  tell  him  to  let  his  boat  come  on  shore  with 
Maquina,  and  that  I  should  be  ready  to  jump  into 
the  boat  at  the  same  time  Maquina  sliould  jump  on 
shore.  I  told  them  that  the  captain,  who  knew 
that  they  had  killed  my  shipmates,  would  never 
trust  his  men  so  near  the  shore  for  fear  they  would 
kill  them  too,  as  they  were  so  much  more  numer- 
ous; but  that  if  they  would  select  any  three  of 
tlieir  number  to  go  with  me  in  a  canoe,  when  we 
came  within  hail,  I  could  desire  the  captain  to 
send  his  boat  with  Maquina,  to  receive  me  in  ex- 
change for  him. 

This  appeared  to  please  them,  and  after  some 
whispering  among  the  chiefs,  who  from  what  words 
I  overheard,  concluded  that  if  the  captain  should 
refuse  to  send  his  boat  with  Maquina,  the  three 
men  would  have  no  difficulty  in  bringing  me  back 
with  them,  they  agreed  to  my  proposd,  and  select- 
ed three  of  their  stoutest  men  to  convey  me. 
Fortunately  having  been  for  some  time  accustom- 
ed to  see  me  armed,  and  suspecting  no  design  on 
my  part,  they  paid  no  attention  to  the  pistols  that  I 
had  about  me. 

As  I  was  going  into  the  canoe,  little  Sat-sat-sak- 
sis,  who  could  not  bear  to  part  witli  me,  asked  me, 
with  an  affecting  simplicity,  since  I  was  going 
away  to  leave  him,  if  the  white  men  would  not 
let  his  father  come  on  shore,  and  not  kill  him.  I 
told  him  not  to  be  concerned,  for  that  no  tone 
should  injure  his  father,  when  taking  an  affection- 
ate leave  of  me,  and  again  begging  me  not  to  let 
the  white  men  hurt  his  father,  he  ran  to  comfort 


<  I 


154 


jewitt's  narrative. 


n 


his  mother,  who  was  at  a  little  distance,  with  the 
assurances  I  had  given  him. 

On  entering  the  canoe,  I  seated  myself  in  the 
prow  facing  the  three  men,  having  determined  if  it 
was  practicable,  from  the  moment  I  found  Maqui- 
na  was  secured,  to  get  on  board  the  vessel  before 
he  was  released,  hoping  by  that  means,  to  be  ena- 
bled to  obtain  the  restoration  of  what  property  be- 
longed to  the  Boston,  still  remaining  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  savages,  which  I  thought,  if  it  could 
be  done,  a  duty  that  I  owed  to  the  owners. 
With  feehngs  of  joy  impossible  to  be  described, 
did  I  quit  this  savage  shore,  confident  now  that 
nothing  could  thwart  my  escape,  or  prevent  the 
execution  of  the  plan  I  had  formed,  as  the  men  ap- 
pointed to  convey  and  guard  me,  were  armed 
with  nothing  but  their  paddles.  As  we  came 
within  hail  of  the  brig,  they  at  once  ceased  pad- 
dling, when  presenting  my  pistols  at  them,  I  or- 
dered them  instantly  to  go  on,  or  I  would  shoot 
the  whole  o^  them.  A  proceeding  so  wholly  un- 
expected, threw  them  into  great  consternation,  and 
resuming  their  paddles,  in  a  few  moments,  to  my 
inexpressible  delight,  I  once  more  found  myself 
along  side  of  a  Christian  ship,  a  happiness  which  I 
had  almost  despaired  of  ever  again  enjoying?]  All 
the  crew  crowded  to  the  side  to  see  me  as  tlie  ca- 
noe come  up,  and  manifested  much  joy  at  my 
safety.  I  immediately  leaped  on  board,  where  I 
was  welcomed  by  the  captain,  Samuel  Hill,  of  the 
brig  Lydia  of  Boston,  who  congratulated  me  on 
my  escape,  informing  me  that  he  had  received  my 
letter  off  Kla-iz-zart,  from  the  chief  Mackee  Ula- 
tilla,  who  came  off  himself  in  his  canoe,  to  deliv- 
it  to  him,  on  which  he   immediately  proceeded 


JBWITT*8  NARRATIVE. 


155 


the 


hither  to  aid  me.  I  returned  him  mv  thanks  in 
the  best  manner  I  could  for  his  humanity,  though 
I  hardly  knew  what  I  said,  such  was  the  agitated 
state  of  my  feelings  at  that  moment,  with  joy  for 
my  escape,  thankfulness  to  the  Supreme  Being 
who  had  so  mercifully  preserved  me,  and  ,y:ratitude 
to  those  whom  he  Lad  rendered  ir>L.trun)ental  in 
my  delivery,  that  I  have  no  doubt,  that  what  with 
my  strange  dress,  being  painted  with  red  and  black 
from  head  to  foot,  having  a  bear  skin  wrapped 
around  me,  and  my  long  hair,  which  I  was  not  al 
lowed  to  cut,  fastened  on  the  top  of  my  head  in  a 
large  bunch,  with  a  sprig  of  green  spruce,  I  must 
have  appear<^d  more  like  one  deranged  than  a  ra- 
tional creature,  as  captain  Hill  afterwards  told  me, 
that  he  never  saw  any  thing  in  the  form  of  man, 
look  so  wild  as  I  did  when  I  first  came  on  board. 
The  captain  then  asked  me  into  the  cabin, 
where  I  found  Maquina  in  irons,  with  a  guard  over 
him.  He  looked  very  melancholy,  but  on  seeing 
me  his  countenance  brightened  up,  and  he  express- 
ed his  pleasure  with  the  welcome  of  ''  Wocash 
John;"  when  taking  him  by  the  hand,  I  asked  the 
captain's  permission  to  take  off  his  irons,  assuring 
him,  that  as  I  was  with  him,  there  was  no  dar'ger  of 
his  being  in  the  least  troublesome.  He  accordingly 
consented,  and  I  felt  a  sincere  pleasure  in  freeing 
from  fetters,  a  man,  who,  though  he  had  caused  the 
death  of  my  poor  comrades,  had  nevertheless,  al- 
ways proved  my  friend  and  protector,  and  whom  I 
had  requested  to  be  thus  treated,  only  with  a  view 
of  securing  my  liberty.  Maquina  smiled  and  appear- 
ed much  pleased  at  this  mark  of  attention  from  me. 
When  I  had  freed  the  king  from  his  irons,  cap- 
tain Hill  wished  to  learn  the  particulars  of  our  cap- 
ture, observing;  that  an  account  of  the  destruction 


n 


\ 


ft 


i 


JEWITT*S  NARRATIVE. 

of  the  ship  and  her  crew  had  been  received  at 
Boston  before  he  sailed,  but  that  nothing  more 
was  known,  except  that  two  of  the  men  were  liv- 
ing, for  whose  rescue  the  owners  had  offered  a  lib- 
eral reward,  and  that  he  had  been  able  to   get 
J     nothing  out  of  the  old  man,  whom  the  sailors  had 
/     supplied  so  plentifully  with  ^rog,  as  to  bring  him 
*     too  much  by  the  head  to  give  any  information. 

I  gave  him  a  correct  statement  of  the  whole  pro- 
ceeding, together  with  the  manner  in  which  my  life 
and  that  of  my  comrade  had  been  preserved.  On 
hearing  my  story,  he  was  greatly  irritated  against 
Maquina,  and  said  he  ought  to  be  killed.  I  ob 
served  that  however  ill  he  might  have  acted  in 
taking  our  ship,  yet  that  it  would,  perhaps,  be  wrong 
to  judge  an  uninformed  savage,  with  the  same  se- 
verity as  a  civilized  person,  who  had  the  light  of 
religion  and  the  laws  of  society  to  guide  him. 
That  Maquina's  conduct  in  taking  our  ship,  arose 
from  an  insult  that  he  thought  he  had  received  from 
captain  Salter,  and  from  the  unjustifiable  conduct 
of  some  masters  of  vet  sels,  who  had  robbed  him, 
and  without  provocation,  killed  a  number  of  his 
people.  Besides  that,  a  regard  for  the  safety  of 
others  ought  to  prevent  his  being  put  to  death,  as  1 
had  lived  long  enough  with  these  people  to  know  that 
revenge  of  an  injury,  is  held  sacred  by  them,  and 
that  they  would  not  fail  to  retaliate,  should  he  kill 
their  king,  on  the  first  vessel  or  boat's  crew  that 
should  give  them  an  opportunity;  and  that,  though 
he  might  consider  executing  hrm  as  but  an  act  of 
justice,  it  would  probably  cost  the  lives  of  many 
Americans. 

The  captain  appeared  to  be  convinced  from 
what  I  said,  of  the  impolicy  of  taking  Maquina 's 
life>  and  said  that  he  would  leave  it  wholly  with 


r 


JfiWITT'8  NARRATIYB. 


157 


«  I 


of 


me  whether  to  spare  or  kill  him,  as  he  was  resolv- 
ed to  incur  no  censure  in  either  case.  I  replied 
that  I  most  certainly  should  never  take  the  life  of 
VL  man  who  had  preserved  mine,  had  I  no  other 
reason,  but  as  there  was  some  of  the  Boston's 
property  still  remaining  on  shore,  I  considered  it 
a  duty  that  I  owed  to  those  who  were  interested  in 
that  ship,  to  try  to  save  it  for  them,  and  with  that 
view  I  thought  it  would  be  well  to  keep  him  on 
board  till  it  was  given  up.  He  concurred  in  this 
proposal,  saying  if  there  was  any  of  the  property 
feft,  it  most  certainly  ought  to  be  got. 

During  this  conversation  Maquina  was  in  great 
Mixiety,  as  from  what  English  he  knew  he  perfect- 
ly comprehended  the  subject  of  our  deliberation; 
constantly  interrupting  me  to  enquire  what  we  had 
determined  to  do  with  him,  what  the  captain  said, 
if  his  life  would  be  spared,  and  if  I  did  not  think 
that  Thompson  would  kill  him.  I  pacified  him  as 
well  as  I  was  able,  by  telling  him  that  he  had  noth- 
ing to  fear  from  the  captain,  that  he  would  not  be 
hurt,  and  that  if  Thompson  wished  to  kill  him, 
which  was  very  probable,  he  would  not  be  allowed 
to  do  it.  He  would  then  remind  me  that  I  was 
indebted  to  him  for  my  Hfe,  and  that  I  ought  to  do 
by  him  as  he  had  done  by  me.  I  assured  him  that 
such  was  my  intention,  and  I  requested  him  to  re- 
main quiet,  and  not  alarm  himself,  as  no  harni  was 
intended  him.  But  I  found  it  extremely  difficult 
to  convince  him  of  this,  as  it  accorded  so  little 
with  the  ideas  of  revenge  entertained  by  them.  I 
told  him  however,  that  he  must  restore  all  the 
property  still  in  his  possession,  belonging  to  the 
ship.  This  he  was  perfectly  ready  to  do,  happy 
to  escape  on  such  terms.  But  as  it  was  now  past 
iye>  and  too  lata  for  the  articles  to  be  collectedi 

Ki 


<* 


158 


jewitt's  narrative. 


and  brought  off,  I  lold  him  that  he  must  content 
himself  to  remain  on  board  with  me  that  night, 
and  in  the  morning  lie  should  be  set  on  shore  as 
soon  as  the  things  were  delivered.  To  this  he 
agreed,  on  condition  that  I  would  remain  with  him 
in  the  cabin.  I  then  went  upon  deck,  and  tlie  ca- 
noe that  brought  me  having  been  sent  back,  I 
hailed  the  inhabitants,  and  told  them  that  their 
king  had  agreed  to  stay  on  board  till  the  next  day, 
when  he  would  return,  but  that  no  canoes  must  at- 
tempt to  come  near  the  vessel  during  the  night,  as 
they  would  be  fired  upon.  They  answered,  Wo- 
ho^  woho — very  well,  very  well.  I  then  returned 
to  Maquina,  but  so  great  were  his  terrors,  that  he 
would  not  allow  me  to  sleep,  constantly  disturbing 
me  with  his  questions,  and  repeating,  "  John,  you 
know  when  you  was  alone,  and  more  than  five 
hundred  men  were  your  enemies,  I  was  your  friend 
and  prevented  them  from  putting  you  and  Thomp- 
son to  death,  and  now  I  am  in  the  power  of  your 
friends,  you  ought  to  do  the  same  by  me."  I  as- 
sured him  that  he  would  be  detained  on  board  no 
longer  than  the  property  was  released,  and  th,?t  as 
soon  as  it  was  done,  he  w^ould  be  set  at  liberty. 

At  dav  break  I  hailed  the  natives,  and  told  them 
that  it  was  Maquina's  order  that  they  should  bring 
off  the  cannon,  and  anchors,  and  whatever  remain- 
ed with  them  of  the  cargo  of  the  ship.  Tliis 
they  set  about  doing  with  the  utmost  expedition, 
transporting  the  cannon  and  anchors  by  lashing  to- 
gether two  of  their  largest  canoes,  and  covering 
them  with  planks,  and  in  the  course  of  two  hours, 
tliey  delivered  every  thing  on  board  that  I  could 
recollect,  with  Thompson's  and  my  chest,  con- 
taining the  papers  of  the  ship,  &c. 

When  every  thing  belonging  to  the  ship  had 


■  f, 


jewitt's  narrative. 


159 


been  restored,  Maquina  was  permitted  to  return  in 
his  canoe,  which  had  been  sent  for  him,  with  a 
present  of  what  skins  he  had  collected,  which 
were  about  sixty,  for  the  captain  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  having  spared  his  life  and  allowed  liiin 
to  depart  unhurt;  such  was  also,  the  transport  ho 
felt  when  captain  Hill  came  into  the  cabin,  and 
told  him  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  go,  that  he  threw 
off  his  mantle,  which  consisted  of  four  of  the  very 
best  skins,  and  gave  it  to  him,  as  a  mark  of  his 
gratitude;  in  return  for  which,  the  captain  presented 
him  with  a  new  great  coat  and  hat,  with  which  he 
appeared  much  delighted.  The  captain  then  de- 
sired me  to  inform  him  that  he  should  return  to 
that  part  of  the  coast  in  November,  and  that  he 
wished  him  to  keep  what  skins  he  should  get, 
which  he  would  buy  of  him.  This  Maquina  prom- 
ised, saying  to  me  at  the  same  time,  "  John,  you 
know  I  shall  be  then  at  Tashees,  but  when  you 
come  make  poiv,  which  means,  fire  a  gun  to  let 
me  know,  and  I  will  come  down."  When  he 
came  to  the  side  of  the  brig,  he  shook  me  cordi- 
ally by  the  hand,  and  told  me  that  he  hoped  I 
would  come  to  see  him  again  in  a  big  ship,  and 
bring  much  plenty  of  blankets,  biscuit,  molasses 
and  rum,  for  him  and  his  son  who  loved  me  a 
great  deal,  and  that  he  would  keep  all  the  furs  he 
got  for  me,  observing  at  the  same  time,  that  he 
should  never  more  take  a  letter  of  recommenda- 
tion from  any  one,  or  ever  trust  himself  on  board  a 
vessel  unless  I  was  there.  Then  grasping  both 
my  hands,  with  much  emotion,  while  the  tears 
trickled  down  his  cheeks,  he  bade  me  farewell, 
and  stept  into  the  canoe,  which  immediately  pad- 
dled him  on  shore. 
^Notwithstanding  my  joy  at  my  deliverance,  and 


160 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


the  pleasing  anticipation  I  felt  of  once  more  be- 
holding a  civilized  country,  and  again  being  per- 
mitted to  offer  up  my  devotions  in  a  Christian 
church,  I  could  not  avoid  experiencing  a  painful 
sensation  on  parting  with  this  savage  chief,  who 
had  preserved  my  life,  and  in  general  treated  me 
with  kindness,  and  considering  their  ideas  and 
manners,  much  better  than  could  have  been  ex- 
pected. 

My  pleasure  was  also  greatly  damped  by  an  un- 
fortunate accident  that  occurred  to  Toowinnakinn- 
ish.  That  interesting  young  chief  had  come  on 
board  in  the  first  canoe  in  the  morning,  anxious  to 
see  and  comfort  his  king.  He  was  received  with 
much  kindness  by  captain  Hill,  from  the  favorable 
account  I  gave  of  him,  and  invited  to  remain  on 
board.  As  the  muskets  were  delivered,  he  was  in 
the  cabin  with  Maquina,  where  was  also  the  cap- 
tain, who  on  receiving  them,  snapped  a  number  in 
order  to  try  the  locks;  unluckily  one  of  them  hap- 
pened to  be  loaded  with  swan  shot,  and  going  off, 
discharged  its  contents  into  the  body  of  poor 
Toowinnakinnish,  who  was  sitting  opposite.  On 
hearing  the  report,  I  instantly  ran  into  the  cabin, 
where  I  found  him  weltering  in  his  blood,  with 
the  captain  who  was  greatly  shocked  at  the  acci- 
dent, endeavouring  to  assist  him.  We  raised  him 
up,  and  did  every  thing  in  our  power  to  aid  and 
comfort  him,  telling  him  that  we  felt  much  grieved 
at  his  misfortune,  and  that  it  was  wholly  uninten- 
tional ;  this  he  told  me  he  was  perfectly  satisfied  of, 
and  while  we  dressed  and  bound  up  his  wounds  in 
the  best  manner  we  could,  he  bore  the  pain  with 
great  calmness,  and  bidding  me  farewell,  was  put 
on  board  one  of  the  canoes,  and  taken  on  shore, 
where  after   languishing   a  few   Jays,  he  expired. 


JEWITT  S  NARRATIVE. 


iGi 


To  nie,  his  niisfortune  was  a  source  of  imicli 
affliction,  as  he  Ii;  d  no  share  in  the  massacre  of 
our  crew,  was  of  a  niost  ainiabh)  character,  and  had 
ahv'iys  treated  lue  willi  the  greatest  kindness  and 
hospitalify. 

Th(}  JJrig  Ix'ini^  under  weii^li,  iruirKMlialely  on 
MiKjuina's  ((uitting  us,  we  proceeded  to  the  north- 
ward, consiaiitly  keeping  the  shore  in  sight,  and 
touching  at  various  places  for  the  purpose  of  trad- 
ing. 

Having  already  exceeded  the  bounds  T  had  pre- 
scribed myself,  I  shall  not  attempt  any  account  of 
our  voyage  upon  the  coast,  or  a  description  of  the 
various  nations  wc  met  with  in  the  course  of  it, 
among  vvlioin  were  a  people  of  a  very  singular  ap- 
pearance, called  by  the  sailors  the  IVooden-lips, 
They  have  many  skins,  and  the  trade  is  principal- 
ly managed  by  their  womer),  who  are  not  only  ex- 
pert in  making  a  bargain,  but  are  as  dexterous  in 
the  management  of  their  canoes,  as  the  men  are 
elsewhere. 

After  a  period  of  nearly  four  mondis  from  our 
leaving  Nootka,  we  returned  from  the  northward 
to  Columbia  river,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
masts,  &c.  for  our  brig,  which  had  suffered  con- 
siderably in  her  spars  during  a  gale  of  wind.  We 
proceeded  about  ten  miles  up  the  river,  to  a  small 
Indian  village,  wliere  we  heard  from  the  inhabi- 
tants, that  Captains  Clark  and  Lewis,  from  the 
United  States  of  America,  had  been  there  about  a 
fortnight  before,  on  their  journey  over-land,  and 
had  left  several  medals  with  them,  which  they 
showed  us.  The  river  at  this  place,  is  of  con- 
siderable breadth,  and  both  sides  of  it  from  its  en- 
trance, covered  with  forests  of  the  very  finest  pine 
timber,  fir  and  spruce,  interspersed  with  Indian 


162 


JEWITt's  NARRATIV2. 


settlements.  Here,  after  providing  ourselves  with 
spars,  we  sailed  for  Nootka,  where  we  arrived  in 
the  latter  part  of  November.  The  tribe  being  ab- 
sent, the  agreed  signal  was  given,  by  firing  a  can- 
non, and  in  a  few  hours  after  a  canoe  appeared, 
which  landed  at  the  village,  and  putting  the  king 
on  shore,  came  off  to  the  brig. — Enquiry  was  im- 
mediately made  by  Kinnecliinmets,  who  was  one 
of  the  three  men  in  die  r^anoe,  if  John  was  there, 
as  the  kins:  had  some  skin:<  to  sell  them  if  he  was. 
I  then  went  forward  and  invited  them  on  board, 
with  which  diey  readily  comphed,  telling  me  that 
Maquina  had  a  number  of  skins  with  him,  but  tliat 
he  would  not  come  on  board  unless  I  would  go  on 
shore  for  him.  This  I  agreed  to,  provided  they 
would  remain  in  the  brig  in  the  mean  time.  To 
this  they  consented,  and  the  captain  taking  tiiem 
into  the  cabin,  treated  thorn  with  bread  and  molasses. 
I  then  went  on  shore  in  the  canoe,  notwithstanding 
the  remonstrances  of  Thompson  and  the  captain, 
who,  thoi.  ,h  he  wanted  the  skins,  advised  mo  by 
no  means  to  put  myself  in  Manuina's  power;  but  I 
assured  him  that  I  had  no  fear  as  long  as  those  men 
were  cr.  board.  As  I  landed  Maquina  came  up 
and  welcomed  me  with  much  joy:  on  enquiring 
for  the  men,  I  told  him  that  they  were  to  remain 
till  my  return.  "Ah  John,"  said  he,  I  see  ''  you 
are  afraid  to  trust  me,  but  if  they  had  come  with 
you,  I  should  not  have  hurt  you,  though  I  sliould 
have  taken  good  care  not  to  let  you  go  on  board 
of  another  vessel."  He  then  took  his  chest  of 
skins,  and  stepping  into  the  canoe,  I  paddled  him 
along-side  the  brig,  where  he  was  received  and 
treated  by  Capt.  Hill  with  the  greatest  cordiality, 
who  bought  of  him  liis  skins.  Ha  left  us  much 
pleased  with  his  reception,   enquiring  of  me  how 


JEW!TT*S  NAPRATIVE. 


163 


many  mooiis  it  would  be  before  I  should  come 
back  again  to  see  him  and  his  son,  who  had  beg- 
ged him  hard  to  let  him  come  with  him  to  see  me : 
saying,  that  he  would  keep  all  his  furs  for  me,  and 
that  as  soon  as  my  son,  who  was  then  about  five 
months  old,  \vas  of  a  suitable  age  to  take  from  his 
mother,  he  would  send  for  him,  and  take  care  of 
him  as  his  own.  Nk 

As  soon  as  Maquina  had  quitted  us,  we  got  un- 
der weigh,  and  stood  again  to  the  northward. 
We  continued  on  the  coast  until  the  eleventh  of 
August,  180G,  when  having  completed  our  trade, 
we  sailed  for  China,  to  tiie  great  joy  of  all  our 
crew,  and  particularly  so  to  me.  With  a  degree 
of  satisfaction  that  I  can  ill  express,  did  I  quit  a 
coast  to  which  I  was  resolved  nothing  should  again 
tempt  me  to  return,  and  as  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains sunk  in  the  blue  waves  of  ocean,  I  seemed  to 
feel  my  heart  lightened  of  an  oppressive  load. 

We  had  a  prosperous  passage  to  China,  arriving 
at  Macao  in  December,  from  whence  the  brig  pro- 
ceeded to  Canton.  There  I  had  the  good  fortune 
to  meet  a  townsman  and  an  old  acquaintance,  in 
the  mate  of  an  English  East-Indiaman,  named  John 
Hill,  whose  father,  a  wealthy  merchant  in  Hull,  in 
the  Balti^^  trade,  was  a  next  door  neighbour  to  mine. 
Shortly  after  our  arrival,  the  captain  being  on 
board  the  English  ship,  and  mentioning  his  having 
iiad  the  good  fortune  to  liberate  two  men  of  the 
Boston's  crew  from  the  savages,  and  that  one  of 
them  was  named  Jewitt,  my  former  acquaintance 
immediately  came  on  board  the  brig  too  see  me. 

Words  can  ill  express  my  feelings  on  seeing 
him.  Circumstanced  as  I  was,  among  persons 
who  were  entire  strangers  to  me,  to  meet  thus  in 
a  fgriign  land,  with  onp  between  whom  and  my- 


164 


jewitt's  narrative. 


>«. 


self,  a  considerable  intimacy  had  subsisted,  was  a 
pleasure  that  those  alone  who  have  be?^n  in  a  simu- 
lar  situation  can  properly  estimate.  He  appeared 
on  his  part,  no  less  happy  to  see  me,  whom  he 
supposed  to  be  dead,  as  the  account  of  our  capture 
had  been  received  in  England  some  time  before 
his  sailing,  and  all  my  friends  supposed  me  to  have 
been  murdered.  From  this  young  man,  I  received 
every  attention  and  aid,  that  a  feeling  heart,  inter- 
ested in  the  fate  of  another,  could  confer.  He 
supplied  me  with  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  and  a  hat, 
a  small  sum  of  money  for  my  necessary  expences, 
and  a  number  of  little  articles  for  sea-stores  on  my 
voyage  to  America.  I  also  gave  him  a  letter  for 
my  father,  in  which  I  mentioned  my  wonderful 
preservation,  and  escape^  through  the  humanity  of 
captain  Hill,  with  whom  I  should  return  to  Bos- 
ton. This  letter  he  enclosed  to  his  father,  by  a 
ship  that  was  just  sailing,  in  consequence  of  which 
it  was  received  much  earlier  than  it  otherwise 
would  have  been. 


^  Arrival  of  the  brig  Lydia  at  Boston, 

We  left  China  in  Februrary,   1807,  and  after  a 
pleasant  voyage  of  ons  hundred  and  fourteen  days, 


jewitt's  narrative. 


165 


arrived  at  Boston.  My  feelings  on  once  more  find- 
ing myself  in  a  Christian  country,  among  a  people 
speaking  the  same  language  with  myself,  may  be 
more  readily  conceived  than  expressed.  In  the 
Post-Office  in  that  place,  I  found  a  letter  for  me 
from  my  mother,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of 
mine  from  China,  expressing  the  great  joy  of  my 
family  on  hearing  of  my  being  alive  and  well,  whom 
they  had  for  a  long  time  given  up  for  dead,  and 
requesting  me  to  write  to  them  on  receiving  her  let- 
ter, which  I  accordingly  did.  While  in  Boston, 
I  was  treated  witii  much  kindness  and  hospitality 
by  the  owners  of  the  ship  Boston,  Messrs. 
Francis  and  Thomas  Amory  of  that  place,  to  whom 
I  feel  myself  under  great  obligations  for  their 
goodness  to  me,  and  the  assistance  which  they  so 
readily  afforded  a  stranger  in  distress. 


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166 


jewitt's  narrative. 


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WAR-SONG  OF  THE  NOOTKA  TRIBE. 

Commencing  xoith  a  chorus  repeated  at  the  end  of 

each  line. 

Hah-yee  hah  yar  har,  he  yar  hah. 

le  yie  ee  yah  har — ee  yie  hah. 

le  yar-ee  yar  hah — ee  yar  hah. 

le  yar  ee  I  yar  yar  hah — le  yar  ee  yee  yah ! 

I-ye  ma  hi-chill  at-sish  Kla-ha — Ha-ye-hah. 
Que  nok  ar  parts-arsh  waw — le  yie-yar. 
Waw-hoo  naks  sar  hasch — Yar-hah.  I-yar  hee  I-yar. 
Waw  boo  naks  ar  hasch  yak-queets  sish  ni-ese, 
Waw  har.    Hie  yee  ah-hah. 

Repeated  over  and  over  with  gestures  and  brandish- 
ing of  weapons. 

NOTE. 

le-yee  ma  hi-chill^  signifies,  Ye  do  not  know.  It  ap- 
pears to  be  a  poetical  mode  of  expression,  the  common 
one  for  you  do  not  know,  being,  IVik-kum-atush;  from 
this,  it  would  seem  that  they  have  two  languages,  one 
for  their  songs  and  another  for  common  use.  The 
general  meaning  of  this  first  song  appears  to  be.  Ye  lit- 
tle know  ye  men  of  Klahar,  what  valiant  warriors  we 
are.  Poorly  can  our  foes  contend  with  us,  when  we 
come  with  our  daggers,  &c. 

The  Nootkians  nave  no  songs  of  a  historical  nature, 
nor  do  they  appear  to  have  any  tradition  respecting 
their  origin. 


THE    END. 


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